Secrets of the heart, a kingdom hearts fanfiction
by Sairahiniel SakuraAeris1497
Summary: Axel has been together with a girl for years, and he's confused now that she's gone. Now, she's returned, but evil forces haunt them and Organization XIII. Join Axel/OC, Saix/OC, Zexion/OC, Demyx/OC, Luxord/OC, and Organization XIII as they fight the darkness that inhabits the Earth and protect it as their guardians. Rated K for all audiences for violence, blood, and language.
1. Chapter 1

**Secrets of the Heart, a Kingdom Hearts Fanfiction by: SakuraAeris**

I would like to thank Kingdom Hearts and Square Enix for their characters and ideas, which I do not own. The only things I do own are OC's and ideas unrecognizable to the public. Please enjoy this fanfiction that takes place before Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, and thanks for your support; Constructive criticism is allowed, but no bashing or ridiculing another's work. Thank you.

**Chapter 1: A lonely man and a dream of a distant memory**

Within a serene meadow near a sea-side beach, where the smell of sea salt was everywhere and the wind blew calmly, a boy with red hair and green eyes wearing orange was lying in the soft grass. A moment later, a girl with long mahogany red hair and bright sky blue eyes wearing green started running towards him.

She shouted from across the field, "Come on! Come play tag with us."

"Okay!" the red-haired boy said. Both the boy and the girl ran to the beach, where their blue-haired yellow-eyed friend wearing blue was waiting for them.

"You better run, or else I'll get ya!" he exclaimed. The three friends were laughing and playing and they didn't seem to care whether it was getting late or not.

"Gotcha!" the blue-haired boy shouted to the red-haired boy. The red-haired boy started to chase the girl, but she got away. She laughed as he went after the other boy.

"Tag, you're it!" he exclaimed to the blue-haired boy. The blue-haired boy started to chase the girl.

"Come on Itor, I can't chase you when you run too fast." he shouted.

"Sorry, but you're gonna have to do better than that!" the girl explained in a singing voice. The three friends started to laugh again not just at themselves, but at each other.

Then a light flashed and the picture started to change. The red-haired boy and the girl were now young adults in a dark alley together and they were being chased by creatures known as emblem heartless assassins. They were trapped in the alley and there was **NO** way out, except the way they came in. The only option they had was to fight their way out. The man pulled out a pair of flying discs and the woman made her hand glow with fire. They started off in the fight having the upper hand over the creatures. But suddenly, one of the creatures charged from behind the man. "Watch out!" the woman shouted. She shoved the man out of the way and was hit by the creature. The sword blow sent her flying right into the stone wall behind her. The back of her head hit the wall and she collapsed to the ground after making a loud, piercing cry.

"Itor!" the man shouted.

Then a moment later, the picture disappeared completely. It turns out that it came from a sleeping, young man with red hair and green eyes who was wearing a black hooded Organization XIII coat. The images that were seen were one of his good memories as a child and one of his worst memories as a young man. The man's name was Axel. He was ranked number 8 in the Organization and was also the Organization's assassin. He woke up from his slumber, panting and clutching his chest, as if he was going to have a heart attack, (even though he didn't have a heart because he was a Nobody.) He looked over on a table by his bedside where a framed picture of the girl, the blue-haired boy, and now, Axel were kids inside it.

"Oh, Torxi, if only you were here with Saix and I in the Organization again. I wish I could've protected you more." Eventually, the man stopped looking at the picture and went back to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

******_ Chapter 2: Friendship over Memories_**

The next day, after a blond-haired blue-eyed male Nobody named Roxas, a black-haired blue-eyed female Nobody named Xion, and Axel finished their missions, they went to the clock tower in Twilight Town. But on this day, when Xion passed out sea-salt ice cream to everyone, Axel didn't start eating it like he normally would have. He would have scarfed the **WHOLE** thing down in a couple gulps! But this time, he acted like he didn't have an appetite.

Xion said, "What's wrong, Axel. Are you not hungry today?"

Roxas questioned, "Are you sick," as he put his hand on Axel's forehead.

"No! I'm not sick, Roxas! I'm fine, just like normal." Axel said as he shoved Roxas's hand away.

"Then what's wrong?" Xion asked.

"Yeah, what's wrong, Axel? I've never seen you so down before. What's on your mind?" Roxas questioned.

"Roxas, I said I'm fine!" Axel exclaimed.

" If you don't want to talk about it, be my guest. But if you wanna get it off your chest, then… do it now." Roxas calmly told him.

"Fine, I…I'll tell you. This is what keeps bugging me. I keep seeing flashbacks of things that have happened before in my life from childhood to now. It's this girl I keep seeing…" Axel explained, (before he was rudely interrupted by Roxas.)

" Whoa whoa whoa… you keep seeing a girl in your dreams?!"

"You never told us about a girl, who is she Axel?" Xion questioned.

" Yeah Axel, who is she? And **THIS** time… I want the truth and nothing but the truth!" Roxas yelled.

Axel looked at his friends and thought for a minute. After catching his breath, he started to say, "Her name is Victoria. But, Saix and I call her Itor or Torxi… She answers to both names. She has been my childhood friend ever since we were 3 years old. I've known her for 21 years. We've been in the Organization together for 6 years and she's my wife." (Once again, he was rudely interrupted by Roxas).

"Whoa, I **NEVER** knew you were married! Are you sure you're telling the truth?" Roxas asked.

Axel exclaimed as he took off a black glove on his left hand, "I can prove I'm not lying to you, Roxas. See, I'm wearing a wedding ring. I told you I wasn't lying."

"Oh, well… I didn't think you were married." Xion said, while feeling embarrassed to say it.

"Well, I am!" Axel exclaimed.

"So… where is she now?" Xion questioned Axel.

Axel paused before speaking before he finally said, " She… Xemnas sent her away from this Organization 3 years before you, Roxas, or Larxene arrived. She got sent to Castle Oblivion in a place I've been to only **ONCE.**"

"**SENT AWAY!?** Why would Xemnas send her away?" Roxas asked in a shocked voice.

Axel explained, " He said she needed to be sent away from the Organization because it was for her safety… but I was her protector during her time here. Even if I was an assassin as well. Xemnas knew that… Maybe he thought I was getting too attached to her. That may have been another reason why she was sent away."

"Do you have a picture of her, Axel?" Xion asked warmly. " Oh, yeah. I always carry one of her with me." Axel replied kindly. He took a photograph out of his Organization cloak and handed it to Roxas and Xion. It showed a 24-year old woman with shoulder-length mahogany red hair in a ponytail braid, twinkling blue eyes full of life, a warm, gentle smile on her face, and a beautiful face like an angel.

"Oh my gosh, Axel!" Roxas gasped.

"What?!" Axel asked.

"She's extremely beautiful." Roxas said.

" I have to agree with Roxas. No wonder you married her, She's a very radiant looking, young woman, Axel." Xion explained kindly.

" Well, thanks guys. I always thought she was beautiful, not just on the outside, but on the inside as well. She was kind to everyone and would protect the ones she cared about. She was a lot like you two, she had Xion's beauty but Roxas's curiousness. And for a boy who was mimicked and laughed at because of the way I was, I always thought I never had a true friend, until I met her." Axel said calmly.

"Why didn't you tell us about her before?" Roxas asked.

" I didn't tell you because I was supposed to keep her identity a secret. But, sometimes I fear that… that she'll never return to the Organization again because I'll die if I don't see her again, for even a second. I've been with her for 21 years and I'm just afraid of what I'm gonna do if I never see her ever again. It's been 3 years since I've seen her and I just hope that she hasn't forgotten about me or Saix or… or she fears she'll never see me again… Oh God, She's probably so sad and lonely because I can never see her anymore. " Axel said, in a choked-up voice.

"Well, don't give up hope just yet, Axel. Tell me something, has she ever given up on **YOU **before?" Xion asked.

"No." said Axel.

" Then don't predict what will happen in the future if you don't know what will happen. If she wouldn't give up on you, then why should you give up on her?" Roxas explained.

" You know what, Roxas. Maybe you're right. I'm just afraid of what **COULD** happen if she never returns." Axel exclaimed.

" Well, don't you worry about a thing , Axel. Master Xemnas is probably thinking about letting her return. In fact, he's probably already arranged a visit to Castle Oblivion to get her right now!" Xion said.

"You know what Xion, maybe you're right too. I'm just worried." Axel shyly exclaimed.

"What worries you?" Roxas asked. "I'm worried that if she doesn't return, I'll never heal from this pain or forgive myself when she left. But, I'm also worried that if she **DOES **return… what would I say to her?" Axel explained.

"You taught me to be outgoing, **RIGHT?!** So, the good thing if she does return is you can tell her anything you wanna tell her that way, she knows how much you missed her after all these years." Roxas exclaimed.

The three friends continued to talk until they had to report back to the Organization. That night when Axel went to bed, he had the memories of his past in his dream again, just like the night before. He didn't understand why these memories were flashing in his mind. This time, he saw an adult version of Torxi in her Organization XIII coat, the same Torxi that was shown in Axel's photograph.

She whispered, "Why didn't you protect me better? Don't stray from your memories, Axel. I love you and goodbye."

Axel screamed, "Don't go, Torxi! Please, I'll try harder. Please come back to me. I love you too!" Axel was getting overcome with so much grief during his time of slumber. He was tossing and turning in his bed, not knowing how to endure through the dreams of his childhood memories. Then, he did something that a true Nobody wouldn't do. He started to cry. Nobodies were not supposed to feel sadness, but Axel did. He cried **ALL** night, until he became too exhausted to weep anymore. Axel remained in a deep sleep for the rest of the night. He never saw Torxi again that night nor did her hear voices and noises outside his room while he slept.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Finding secrets of Axel's past**

The next morning, Roxas and Xion came inside Axel's room to check on him.

"Axel… Are you in here?" Xion whispered.

"Axel, are you even awake? Where are you?!" Roxas exclaimed. The two friends started looking around the room. Xion saw Axel lying on the bed and smiled. She knew that he liked to sleep. Roxas looked over towards where Xion was and let out a small chuckle. A moment later, Xion called out to Roxas…

"Roxas. You may want to come over here." Xion exclaimed. Something didn't sound right.

Roxas questioned, "What is it, Xion?"

Xion stated, "Take a look at Axel. There are wet line marks near his eyes. And no, I don't mean his purple, tear- shaped tattoos. I mean these dark tan marks that run down from his eyes all the way down to his cheek. I think these dark tan marks on his face are marks caused by tears. Roxas, I think he might have been crying the other night."

"That's **IMPOSSIBLE!** Nobodies can't cry. We're not supposed to feel happiness or sadness." Roxas clearly stated.

"But there's evidence right here that Axel has been crying. But the question is, why was he crying last night?" Xion said.

"Beats me. It could have been about his past, when he was a boy. Or maybe it could've been about Torxi." Roxas exclaimed. Xion looked over at a book case in Axel's room. On the shelves were red journals with golden writing that said, "Axel's Journal". Each journal had his age number on it and it started from age 6 through age 24. The journals on a desk near his bed were the journals the Organization gave out. These journals were black and had silver writing on them. Once again, these journals had Axel's age on them but, there were also years in the Organization on them.

Xion paused for a moment before speaking. Then she explained, "Roxas, I have an idea. You see all these journals in here? We can read all of Axel's journals so that we can find out why he was crying the other night. But we'll have to be quick, just in case he gets up and we also have to make sure to put the journals back. Do we have a deal on finding out Axel's past?"

Roxas shyly stated, " I don't know Xion. Axel could get very angry with us if he finds out we read through his stuff. If he did find out, he'd probably burn us alive. And anyway, how do you know we're not gonna get caught?"

"Like I said Roxas, we'll put the journals back **EXACTLY** where they belong and we don't have to tell him that we went through his stuff. If he did somehow find out, he wouldn't kill us. He would probably just tell us to not go through his stuff again or that we should've asked."

"You may have a point there… Alright Xion, it's a deal." Roxas said.

"Okay then. Now, there are 24 journals total, 18 red journals and 6 Organization journals. To split it up evenly, you take the odd numbers of journals and I'll take the even number half. Each time we finish a journal, we give it to the opposite person so that they can read it. After we finish every journal, we'll try to summarize every bit of writing we read so that we can figure out why Axel was crying last night." Xion stated.

" Okay, I'll get right on it." Roxas exclaimed. He reached up and grabbed every book he would need. They were **VERY** heavy for Roxas. Then he said, "Talk about a bookworm. By the time I finish all of these journals, my fingers will be thinner than these pages."

"**SHHH!** Be quiet, Roxas. You don't wanna wake Axel up now do you?" Xion whispered.

"Sorry." Roxas whispered. Minutes passed and Roxas and Xion had both finished 2 journals each.

When Xion got halfway through her 3rd red journal, she brought it to Roxas and exclaimed quietly, "Roxas, you might want to take a look at this. It's really sad."

"Let me see that. How old is he in this one? Oh, he's 8 years old." Roxas observed. He read aloud, 'Dear Journal, today is August 28th and you know what that means… in 6 days, it will be my birthday! My dad left 3 days ago to go on a business trip that is far, far away from Radiant Garden. He said he was gonna come back home tonight. It's raining and storming and I'm worried about my dad. Itor stayed by my side and comforted me. My mom and I were having a welcome home dinner party at Isa's house. When Isa's mother, Isabella saw how worried and scared I was, she and her husband, Issac went out in the storm to go look for my father, Alexander. A couple moments later, they returned to the house soaking wet, carrying an unconscious, masked man.'

'As my mom, Anna went to go get blankets for Isa's parents, before she left the room, she told me not to unveil the face of the unconscious man until he woke up. But I was a very curious boy, so I unveiled the man's face even though my mom told me not to. And take a guess on who I saw. **IT WAS MY FATHER! **I screamed to my mom and Isa's parents.'

I screamed, "It's dad! The man is dad!"

'My mom saw him lying there and didn't even scold me for unveiling his face. She looked at him and then she turned around and started to cry. I didn't understand why she was crying. And then I saw Itor and Isa shedding tears. I asked what was wrong and Isa pointed to my father's arm. I saw what they were crying about: He had been cut by a poison blade and he hadn't been found for 3 days. Dad said that if you're cut by a poison blade, there's **NO** hope for you because you could die from the wound on the spot, except if you have an excellent healer who knows a lot of Curaga spells. Itor and Isabella tried all the Curaga spells they could think of and they used all of their strength to help. My mom was still crying and Isa's parents tried to comfort her. I was shedding tears and telling my father to wake up. Itor starting crying too and I had to comfort her. Isa looked away and sat in the lonely corner and his grandma Meggera sat in her rocking chair, looking very sad.'

'After a few hours, my father started to breathe again. He coughed and winced in pain as he grasped his arm. He rubbed his eyes and glanced at me.

"Lea, is that you my son?", he asked.

"DAD!", I exclaimed as I wrapped my arms around his neck to hug him.

I hugged Itor and said, "You did it! Thank you for saving him."

Itor sweetly said, "You're welcome."

'My mom glanced and dried her tears. She ran over to my dad and kissed him on the lips. Isa mouthed the word "Nasty" to Itor and I but, Itor told him to knock it off.

"Lea, come over here. I don't have much time, so come quickly, my son. There's something I have to tell you."

' I didn't understand what he meant by "I don't have much time." I ran over to him and held his hand.'

" What do you mean you don't have much time?!", I exclaimed.

' I was so scared because I was afraid that the Curaga spells didn't work and that he was gonna die.'

" I mean that…[groan]…the Curaga spells didn't work so I have to tell you something before I… [groan]… die.", he explained.

I cried, "No, you can't die! Please, I need you Dad! Just please hold on." Itor tried to use Curaga on him but he refused.

He told me, "Lea, you are destined for great things ,my son. You are a guardian for a girl that you love. I had an ancestor who guarded a young woman named Veronica a long time ago and his name was… [groan]… Alexander. You are his descendant because you and I are… [Groan]… from his blood line."'

'I tried to understand all that he said but, I was confused instead of being overjoyed. He started to groan and wince in pain. '

'The last thing he said that day was, "Lea. Don't you **EVER** forget about what I told you about me, you, and your ancestor. Also, protect your friends and your family and keep them close but, especially Itor. She's the one who will be by your side **NO** matter what happens. Thank you for making my life a joy to live and good… [groan]… goodbye!"

'His grip on my hand started to slip and he exhaled, for the last time. His hand dropped and hit the floor. I stared into his closed eyes and my mom turned and started to weep. Isabella and Issac hugged and comforted her. Isa and Itor put their hand on my shoulder and I started to cry. Itor grabbed me and wrapped her arms around me. I felt her tears hit my neck as she comforted me. Isa started to shed tears too. On my birthday 6 days later, my mom pulled a small box out of the backpack my father was carrying the night he died. I unwrapped the box and saw a pair of flying discs with a bomb symbol on them. I loved the gift but I was sad because I wished my father could see me smiling when I opened it. So, that's the first death in my family. What if the person or thing that killed my dad goes after Isa and his family, my mom and I, or even Itor?! I can't let that happen. I have to do what my father told me to do: Protect my family and friends and keep them close. But, especially Itor. Nobody will hurt my family and friends **EVER** again! Signed, Lea (Axel #8).'

"Wow. I didn't know that something like that would've happened to someone like Axel. I feel kinda bad for him." Roxas sadly exclaimed.

Xion explained, "I didn't know that kind of stuff happened to humans."

Roxas whispered, "I read something that was just as sad as that journal entry you showed me. You might wanna take a look at this, Xion."

"He's 15 years old in this one." Xion stated. Roxas cleared his throat aloud but, he started to quiet down when Axel tossed and turned in his sleep.

Xion whispered, 'Dear Journal, I am now 15. It's been 7 years since my dad died. I have a confession to make in this journal because I've done an awful thing: I ran away from home to find out the origins of our family that my dad was talking about the night he died. My mom must be grieving really bad. She's probably crying her eyes out and screaming for me to come back home. I left a note saying I would be back when I thought I knew everything I needed to know about our family. I can't tell Itor or Isa… they'd tell me to go back and that I should be ashamed of myself. I'm even grieving myself, because I miss my mom so much. I want to go back to her, but if I give up now, I'll be a failure not only to myself, but to Dad. I can't give up now and I **WON"T!** I will discover the origins of my family and protect this "princess" my dad was talking about. Signed, Lea (Axel #8).'

"He ran away… from his own mother!?" Xion exclaimed shockingly.

Roxas explained, "I've known Axel for only 2 years, but I **NEVER** could've imagined he was having troubles with his own life and family in Radiant Garden. I wonder if his mother is still alive."

"Maybe, maybe not. I don't know." Xion shrugged.

"Hey, Xion. There's one more thing I would like you to read." Roxas said.

Xion read aloud, 'Dear Journal, Today was the most exciting day of my life. Itor and I have been married for 6 years and we're planning on having children and raising a family soon. We are now 24 and our life has been great, until the past 7 years. One day, Itor and I were walking on the sidewalk, going back to Isa's old house. We heard a shrieking noise around the corner behind us and we saw these creatures coming at us. I recognized them as being heartless, but not just any heartless. There were emblem heartless assassins, the same creatures that killed my father, Itor's parents, and Isa's parents and relatives. Itor and I ran for our lives and got trapped in a dark alley. There was **NO** way out, except the way we came in. Itor and I decided to fight the creatures with fire and flying discs. We had the upper hand at first, but then, Itor pushed me out of the way of the creature's sword blow and she took the hit instead. She shrieked in pain and I ran to her, holding her body in my arms. She and I had had our hearts taken by these heartless. As the heartless charged again, I started to glow orange and I shouted, **"GO** **AWAY!"** They ran as soon as they heard footsteps around the corner. The approaching footsteps were coming from my friend, Isa. He also had his heart stolen by these beasts as well. He staggered towards me and asked me if I was alright and I said I was. He then saw Itor lying unconscious in my arms. Then, Itor's Father Xemnas found us.(Father Xemnas is just a name Itor gave him because she doesn't know who her real father is because she had **NOT** seen him in 14 years, ever since he was killed by emblem heartless assassins.) Xemnas ran to us, telling Isa and I to carry Itor to his "hideout". Once we got there, we laid her on the bed and started using Cura and Curaga on her. I stayed with her all night and by the next morning, she was conscious and was healed of her wounds. I was so relieved that I cried and she told me that everything was all right.'

'That very same morning, Xemnas made us join something known as Organization XIII because, we were now Nobodies. We put on black cloaks and were given weapons and new names. From that day on, I was known as Axel, Itor as Torxi, and Isa as Saix. Then 2 months later, Torxi and I were talking and Saix burst into the room with a pale face and a sad look in his eyes. I asked him what was going on and he said that my mother was alive, but was dying. Torxi and I left right away and made it to her home. Saix left as soon as we started upstairs and I saw her: she was weak and feeble and there were tears in her eyes. I ran to her and hugged her. She cried and I shed tears. Torxi tried to use Curaga on her, after she told us she had been wounded by emblem heartless assassins, but my mother refused and kept pushing Torxi's hand away every time she tried to heal her. I told her I joined the Organization and that I was ashamed to come home when I was 15 because I wanted to avenge my father more than sit and do nothing. She told me that she would've done the same thing and that I made the right decision to stay alongside my friends. She explained to me,

"Lea, I think I know why you left home. You wanted to find out your origins and try to avenge your father. You should've told me that you left. I would've helped you and all of us could find out together. But, you now have a beautiful wife who loves and cares for you and a best friend who would die for you if that was the only option he had. I'm sure you'll find out your origins, but Lea, protect the ones closest to you and don't hide from your memories. Learn from them and protect your friends. They're the only family you have left." I promised her I would. "That's my Lea. My sweet son, I love you and want you to have a happy life with Itor and Isa. Good-good goodbye…(exhale)."

'I cried and Torxi held me in her arms. But then, she started weeping and I asked her why she was crying.

She told me, "Axel, you now know what real loss is. You watched both your parents die before your eyes and it kills me to see you get hurt like this. No friend of mine should ever have to go through this. It's terrible and I'm so sorry this happened."

'We both hugged and wept, until we decided to head back to the Organization. Saix asked us what happened and Torxi said she didn't make it. Saix and the other Organization members hugged me and said how sorry they were. It seemed so genuine, even though they were Nobodies and couldn't feel happiness or sadness. I grieved for years. When Torxi left, I fell apart. She was my world and when she was gone, I shattered into pieces. I missed her **SO** much that I would cry myself to sleep at night. I still do. I won't allow these heartless to tear my relationships apart. First my father, then Saix's family, then Torxi's parents, and now my own mother. They'll probably go after Torxi or Saix next. Then what? What will I do when they're gone? The heartless will **NOT**destroy my friends or whatever's left of my family. I won't let it happen. Signed, Lea (Axel #8).'

Roxas and Xion read more of his journals until every word, sentence, and phrase had been read. When they reviewed all the material they had read, they came to the conclusion that Axel had seen flashbacks from his past that were **SO** unbearable that they made him cry himself to sleep. They put the all of his journals back where they belonged and carefully shut the door behind them, trying not to wake Axel up. As Roxas and Xion walked out of Axel's room, Axel's childhood friend, Saix was coming around the corner. Saix had seen them walk out of Axel's bedroom and became suspicious.

As the two were walking away, he asked, "What were you two doing in Axel's bedroom?" Roxas and Xion knew they had been caught red-handed. They had to tell Saix what they had been up to.

Roxas spoke up, "Well, we…uh…"

"Well Roxas, spit it out, boy. What were you two doing in Axel's bedroom?"

Xion finally admitted, " We saw wet tear marks on Axel's face when we went to wake him up and I decided to read Axel's journals with Roxas. We came up with the conclusion that Axel was crying last night because he had a nightmare about his past memories with you and Torxi." Saix furrowed an eyebrow and Xion put her hand over her mouth, thinking she had angered him.

Saix waited a moment, then angrily asked, "How do you know about Torxi?!"

Roxas explained, "Axel told us everything. He told us about what she looked like, how she sounded, the friendship you and him had with her, her time here in the Organization, her abilities, her getting sent away, and we read in those journals what he, you, and Torxi went through as kids when your parents and relatives got killed."

Saix sighed and then looked at the two of them. Then he said, "I knew he would tell someone about her. I knew that he would tell you two because I know he's grown attached to you… Never mind... I think he did the right thing for once. By telling you two about Torxi, you have noticed and seen a different side of him." Roxas and Xion looked at each other, puzzled by what Saix was saying.

"Then, what are you doing down here, Saix?" Xion asked in a quiet whisper.

Saix then explained, "I have an urgent message from Master Xemnas to give to you aloud. He said to tell you that Torxi will return to the Organization in 3 days."

Roxas and Xion hugged and Xion exclaimed, "But that's amazing! Axel will be so excited when we tell him!"

"Hold on you two, I'm not finished. He also said that you two are to be the only ones that know she's returning and that you are to **NOT** say a word of this to Axel."

"And what if we do Saix?"

"Well, now that you bring it up Roxas… I'll tell Axel that you two went through his journals and ask him to dispose of you."

"You wouldn't!"

"I would!" Saix turned the door knob to open Axel's bedroom door when Roxas screamed,

"**WAIT!**... Fine, Xion and I will not tell Axel."

"You and Xion just can't say you won't tell him… you got to promise not to tell him. Raise your right hand and repeat after me… I Roxas or Xion, do solemnly promise not to tell Axel about what Saix told us…. If we do, we'll be punished by Axel, Saix, and Master Xemnas."

"I Roxas, do solemnly promise not to tell Axel about what Saix told me… If I do, I will be punished by Axel, Saix, and Master Xemnas."

"I Xion, do solemnly promise not to tell Axel about what Saix told me… If I do, I will be punished by Axel, Saix, and Master Xemnas."

Then Saix said, "And now that that's settled… I got to run. Remember… **DON'T**** TELL AXEL!**" Roxas and Xion walked to their rooms as soon as Saix walked away.

The next day, after the trio finished their missions, they went to the clock tower in Twilight Town to eat sea-salt ice cream.

Roxas said, "Hey, Axel. I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"It's about Torxi."

"What about her, Roxas?"

"Well, I heard that…**OW!** What was that for Xion?!" Xion had kicked him in the shin and shook her head.

She whispered, "If you tell him and we get punished… I'll kill you."

"Well, what about Torxi?" Roxas quieted down and ate his ice cream.

Axel looked puzzled and asked, "What were you gonna tell me? If it's something important, I wanna know."

"It's nothing, Axel." Xion exclaimed.

"Well, if it's about Torxi… I wanna hear it."

"I was just gonna say Axel…"

"WHAT!?... I can't hear you, Roxas!"

"I was gonna say that I hope Torxi comes back soon."

"Oh, I hope she does too. I miss her so much. I wish she'd just come back in a week."

Under his breath, Roxas muttered, "Oh, don't worry… she will come back in less than a week."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Return of Torxi, # 15**

3 days later, the rest of the Organization got word that a new member had just joined. They were a little excited and confused. Axel was sleeping, as usual in his room while there was hustle and bustle in the Grey Area of the Castle That Never Was. Xion and Roxas came into Axel's room and woke him up.

"Axel, get up."

"No, Xion… five more minutes."

"AXEL! GET UP NOW!" When Axel heard Roxas yell that in his ear, he jumped out of bed as if he had seen a ghost.

"Oh, now you're up." Roxas exclaimed.

Axel asked angrily, "What do you want?!"

Xion explained, "There's a new member that just arrived in the Organization today and Saix wanted everyone up because we have to have a meeting in the Round Room."

"This early in the morning?!"

"Yes."

**** "Alright, I'll meet you two outside my room in a minute." Axel was walking a little bit slower than usual.

Roxas became suspicious and asked, "Axel, are you alright?"

"It's nothing, Roxas. I'm just tired."

"Are you sure it's not about Torxi?... You can tell us about if you want to." Axel remained silent for a minute.

Then Xion said, "Hey, cheer up. I know anything we say or do can't make you forget about Torxi, but, maybe we can befriend the new member and make them feel welcome here."

"Well, you do have a point there."

"See, now that's the spirit. Now come on… before Saix yells at us for being late."

After every member was seated, Master Xemnas spoke, " Good Morning, Brothers and Sisters of the Organization. I have an announcement. A new member has joined us. They have returned because I requested this person's help. Welcome, Number 15." The members looked confused but also, secretly happy. Axel looked at this member and she smiled back. He gasped silently and then looked away.

Then Xemnas said, "Reveal yourself, Number 15." The hooded figure unveiled the hood and everyone gasped. The new member was a girl but, it wasn't just any girl… It was **TORXI**! The older members were stunned and surprised. Roxas, Xion, and Larxene were not surprised. They had never seen this girl before and they didn't know who she was and where she came from. Axel's eyes bulged and his face went pale. He couldn't speak or breath. Saix smirked, because of three things: 1.) Roxas and Xion didn't reveal the secret to Axel 2.) He, Roxas, Xion, and Xemnas knew she was coming back that day and 3.) They really had the Organization stunned and surprised.

Torxi looked around, and then announced, "I am really glad to be wearing my old Organization coat as well as wielding my chakrams again. I see so many old faces… and some new faces here in the Round Room. I will meet all of you individually in the Grey Area… Father Xemnas, dismiss everyone, please." Torxi was the first to leave the room.

Xemnas then exclaimed, "This meeting is now dismissed. Please exit and report to the Grey Area immediately."

Everyone got out of their seats and started to walk to the Grey Area. Two members were walking together. Their names were Marluxia and Larxene and they were also engaged to be married… as soon as they left the Organization.

Larxene exclaimed, "Who was that woman, Marluxia?"

"That was Torxi."

"WHO?!"

"Torxi (Tork-see). She was once a member of this Organization and was ranked # 9. She was also the original second-in-command."

"She was?!"

"Yes, before Saix took her position after she left."

Larxene asked Marluxia after a moment, "Do you find her attractive or do you… love her?"

"I think she's attractive but, no… I don't love her and anyway… I think you're prettier than her."

"You really think so?"

"Absolutely." Larxene and Marluxia kissed and hugged and then continued to walk to the Grey Area. Meanwhile, Axel, Roxas, and Xion were walking down the hallway to get to the Grey Area as well. On the way, they spoke.

Roxas asked suspiciously, "Axel, who was that woman in the Round Room? She looked really familiar."

"She is familiar to you and Xion. That woman was my wife and companion, Torxi."

Xion chimed in, "THAT WAS HER!?"

"That was the same Torxi you were talking about?"

"Yep… That was really her."

There was a moment of silence before Xion exclaimed, "Remember that picture of Torxi that Axel showed us, Roxas?... It was the same girl."

Roxas thought for a minute before saying, "She had the same mahogany red hair, same bright blue eyes, same body figure, and same voice that Axel described… It must be the real Torxi." The two pondered the idea while Axel continued to walk. But before he reached the corner of the Grey Area, he stopped.

Xion became worried and asked, "Are you okay?"

Axel exclaimed, "I'm fine, I'm just worried and nervous. I haven't seen her in 3 years but, I'm still want to talk to her… But I want to surprise her by being the last to speak."

"Then we'll wait here with you too." Roxas chimed in.

Torxi didn't hesitate on greeting everyone. "Demyx, how are you ? How's the song coming along?"

"It's going great thanks to you. Thank you so much, Torxi. You really saved me a lot of work."

"Maybe I can listen to it sometime." She went from member to member, giving each one a hug and saying a special individual phrase to each one.

"Luxord, how are you? Remember what I told you, luck of the draw."

"Luck of the draw, Torxi."

"Torxi! Hey!"

"Hi, Lexaeus. How are you? Oh…Let me…go…You're…squeezing me…too tight…"

"Let go of her, Lexaeus… before you suffocate her to death. You really need to stop with those bear hugs."

" Vexen, how do you do?"

"How do you do, Torxi? It's very nice to see you again."

"Don't forget about me!"

"Xigbar, you little sharp-shooter! How are you?"

"I'm doing great, and you?"

"Very well, It's good to be back with all of you."

"Hello, Torxi."

"Marluxia, how are you?"

"I'm doing fine… thanks for asking."

Torxi waited a minute and then looked over at Larxene. "Well, this is clearly a new face. Who are you?"

"I'm Larxene… number 12."

"How do you do?"

"Very well… thank you."

"May I give you a hug, Larxene? If it's not too much trouble."

"…No, I don't like being touched by people I've just met. Come on, Marluxia. We have other business to attend to." Marluxia and Larxene walked off, leaving Torxi a little confused but, happy to be back.

"Just don't pay her any mind, Torxi. She's always been really…picky about certain things…It's almost like she wakes up on the wrong side of the bed every day."

"Zexion, how are you?"

"I'm very well, thank you…. Don't worry about her, she's probably just jealous."

"About what?"

"About you… she thinks that because you're kind, intelligent, and attractive… you'll steal her man, which is Marluxia."

"I **DON'T** love Marluxia, I love Axel… which reminds me, where is he?" Zexion scurried off before her question could be answered.

She looked around for Axel but, had no luck. Eventually she just had to give up and let Axel come to her.

Saix came behind her and exclaimed, " You didn't forget about me after all these years… did you?"

"Saix, how are you?"

"I'm fine… and you?"

"I'm okay… where's Axel? Have you seen him around here?"

"I don't know… he's probably arriving to the Grey Area right now. He'll probably be late, as usual."

Torxi shouted his name before she heard a familiar voice, "Torxi."

She turned and saw someone: It was Axel. She looked at him with bulged eyes and a pale face. He looked back at her, but he was calmer than she was.

"Axel, is…is it really you?"

"Yes, it's me. Who else could I be?!"

"AXEL!" She ran into his arms and he lifted her off the ground and spun her. When her feet finally touched the ground, they kissed a passionate, loving kiss.

Then they hugged and spoke, "Oh, Axel. I missed you so much. I promise I'll never leave you again."

"I missed you too. I promise I'll protect you better than I did years ago."

"You did all you could do, Axel."

"I know but, I just don't understand why you had to leave."

" Well, it's all in the past. Now, we can look to the future." Xion and Roxas came inside and watched the two meet again with a gleam in their eyes. Torxi kept hugging Axel until she caught a glimpse of Roxas and Xion. She simply had to meet the two of them.

"Well, hello there. I've been in this Organization for 6 years, but I've never seen you two here before. Who exactly are you?" Torxi asked.

Axel stuttered, "Well, they're…um…they're…"

Roxas cut him off and exclaimed, "I'm Roxas, number 13."

"And I'm Xion, number, 14."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Torxi and I'm again… number 15."

"Axel has told us so much about you." Xion chimed in.

"He has?! Well, what has he told you two?"

"Well, if I can remember correctly… he told Xion and I that you had hair that was the most beautiful shade of mahogany and that your eyes were as blue as the sky. He also said you had the sweetest voice, cutest laugh, most amazing battle skills, and most beautiful singing voice."

"Oh, he did, didn't he?" Torxi exclaimed while glaring at Axel.

Xion then explained, "Yeah, he even told us much about your past friendship with him and Saix. He even told us you were a fast runner and that you loved sea-salt ice cream."

Axel chimed in, "Hey! That reminds me… let's go to Twilight Town and get some sea-salt ice cream. What do you guys say? I'll pay for it… it's my treat." The others looked at each other and agreed.

Torxi then spoke, "I'll go with you on one condition… that I pay half with you. We'll split the cost 50/50." Axel pondered the idea and then agreed. Torxi went up to Xemnas, who hugged her in a fatherly manner and kept telling her how much he missed her and he regretted sending her away. She then asked him if she could go to the clock tower with the trio of friends and he agreed on the condition that she doesn't do anything reckless. She promised she'd be careful and opening up a dark corridor, the group departed to Twilight Town.


	5. Chapter 5

** Chapter 5: Catching Up on the Present**

Axel and Torxi both paid for the ice cream, just like they agreed and they handed it to Roxas and Xion. After a while of talking and laughing, the conversation started to get more serious when Axel said, "So, I hear you and Xion have been sneaking around my room, reading my journals. Is that true?" Roxas looked over at Xion and they both thought, 'Oh no… **BUSTED!**'

Xion exclaimed in a trembling voice, "It's true… Roxas and I did look through those journals. We were only trying to figure out why you were crying the other night…. So we read every last page of those journals. Crap! Saix must've told you what we did… please don't dispose of us!"

Axel cut her off and explained, "Would you two stop cowering and whimpering? I'm not gonna hurt you… even if you did go through my journals without permission. You both should've asked. Oh, and F.Y.I… Saix didn't tell me anything. I figured it out all by myself."

Roxas exclaimed, "But… But, how did you know it was us?!"

"It was actually quite simple, Roxas. I could hear your voices across the room while you were whispering my saddest stories aloud. Even though I'm a heavy sleeper… I can still hear things."

Xion whispered in Roxas's ear, "See, I told you he wouldn't kill us."

"Oh, you said that… I thought you asked him not to kill us a couple minutes ago!"

"Hey, I was concerned for both our lives."

"But he already knew it was us all along." Xion and Roxas were a little puzzled but, the two eventually let it go.

* I know that was very short, but it gets better from here.*


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Hidden Gift**

Then, Torxi began to talk. "Axel, do you still have that gift I gave you the day I left?"

"Oh, yes… I still have it with me."

Xion and Roxas looked perplexed. "What gift are you two talking about?" Roxas asked suspiciously.

Torxi explained, "Well, guys… on the day that I left the Organization 3 years ago, Axel and I gave each other a gift to remember each other with and we would put these gifts in 2 small wooden boxes with the Kingdom Hearts symbol on it and we called it 'our love boxes'. We created the boxes when we fell in love at the age of 6, in which Axel's father helped us create them. Axel and I each received 20 gifts, which celebrated how long we've been in love since childhood. And the 21st gift was received on the day I left. It was made from a rare stone called an 'Ember stone' and Axel's father found it. It also became the 21st gift."

"What's the gift and where is it?"

Axel looked at Roxas and told him, "Unfortunately, Torxi and I are the only ones who know what the gift is and where it is."

"Then, give us a clue to help us find it." Xion chimed in. Roxas agreed with Xion and the two were all ears. Axel and Torxi whispered something in each other's ears and then came to an agreement on the clue.

Torxi exclaimed, "The gift is something beautiful and pure, and it's hidden in plain sight…"

"To find it, you must picture a crown jewel with all your might." Axel chimed in.

Roxas and Xion thought about the clue out loud, " The gift is beautiful and pure…"

"And it's hidden in plain sight, and to find it… we must picture a crown jewel." Xion and Roxas asked where the gift was, "Is it in a room?"

"It was in a room."

"Is it in your 'love box'?"

"It used to be… but it's now always with us." Xion thought about what had been said, and then an idea popped into her head.

She pulled Roxas aside and whispered, "Roxas, what if the gift isn't something you carry… but something that you wear?!"

"…Xion, that's not actually a bad thought. You may be right." Xion thought about it some more and saw Torxi put her hand over her heart.

Xion jumped up and exclaimed, "I know where the gift is!"

"You do… well, where is it?" Axel asked.

Xion pointed and shouted, "You and Torxi are wearing the gift around your neck! It must be a small trinket."

Torxi and Axel smiled at the two and Roxas pulled Xion aside. "How did you know it was around their neck?!"

"I knew because Torxi had her hand on her heart and you know where necklaces are worn, right? So, it just had to be there. Look, even Torxi and Axel are grinning at us… because we figured out where the gift was." Roxas pondered the thought and the couple sat back down on the clock tower. The group continued to talk until Torxi and Axel decided it was time to go back to the Organization.


	7. Chapter 7

** Chapter 7: Transformations**

The next day, after the group finished their missions, Torxi and Axel pulled Roxas and Xion by the arm into a room in The Castle that Never was.

Torxi asked the two, "Do you know what transformations are?"

Xion responded with, "Transformations are changes you make to your own physical appearance to look or sound like another person."

"Well, did you also know that the necklaces Axel and I wear can also change our own physical appearance?"

Roxas and Xion looked at each other and exclaimed, "NO!"

"Then, shall we demonstrate?" Axel chimed in.

The two simultaneously exclaimed, "Yes."

Torxi and Axel held hands and a glowing orange light surrounded them and their necklaces, which resembled flames burning. All of a sudden, Torxi's hair changed from mahogany to blonde, skin from light tan to fair, and clothes from the Organization cloak to a green dress and black shorts. Axel's hair changed from red to silver, skin from light tan to dark tan, and clothes from the Organization cloak to an orange shirt and Khaki Capris. The only thing that remained unchanged was the color of their eyes. Xion and Roxas were shocked and confused. They touched their friends' arms and they felt real. This was nothing compared to Zexion's illusions. Roxas then noticed about their eye color and asked if something had gone wrong.

Torxi replied with, "You see, guys. Our eye color **NEVER** changes. This is because the other members wouldn't recognize us if we didn't have the same color eyes. We're also wearing these necklaces and, only some Organization members have them on. "

"Your voices didn't change either." Xion chimed in.

"That's also to make sure that Organization members can recognize us." Axel explained.

Roxas then asked if they could use transformations to their advantage too. Axel then responded with a 'yes.' Torxi grabbed two Kingdom Hearts Moon charm necklaces from her pocket and gave one to Roxas and the other to Xion. Then she helped them tie it around their neck.

She then replied, "These were also made by Axel's father with sapphire and gold that he found…Now, to activate the transformation powers in your necklace, say these words while holding hands: 'Rubus transforma nobody formus.' If you say these words simultaneously, the spell will be more effective."

Roxas and Xion simultaneously chanted the spell and their form transformed, besides their eye color and voice. Roxas now had brown hair and he was wearing a check-board printed shirt with red baggy pants and Xion had red hair and she was wearing a blue tank top and a black skirt. They were so intrigued by their appearance that they wondered if they were the same person. Torxi and Axel congratulated the pair on the transformation abilities.

Xion asked if they could change back after a while and Axel explained, "To change back to your original form, repeat these words: 'Rubus transforma nobody formus originalus', you have to simultaneously utter these words to change back successfully."

The pair of four chanted the spell and successfully changed back. They then went back to their rooms to prepare for the next day.


	8. Chapter 8

** Chapter 8: The Truth about Marluxia and Larxene**

In another part of the castle, two individuals were talking. One was the woman, Larxene and the other was the man, Marluxia. They were talking about their plan to take over the Organization and overthrow Xemnas, the leader of the Organization. But then Larxene noticed a dark brown and green journal lying on the ground. She wiped dust from the front cover and opened it. Marluxia tried to stop her from reading it, but he had to let it happen because he did trust her at out of everyone in the Organization.

She read and then exclaimed, "Who's Dahlia, Jacobi, Rosianna, and Michael?" Marluxia couldn't deny that he knew who they were, so he asked her to sit down as he explained every detail of his childhood.

He took a breath and then clarified, "Dahlia is my mother, Rosianna is my step-sister, Jacobi is my step-father, and Michael is my father."

"Wait a minute! You have a step-father and step-sister? How can that be and how come I've never met them?!"

"Well, they're dead, except for maybe Rosianna. I don't know where she is… I haven't seen her ever since I was 12 years old."

"Tell me about them, please."

"You don't mind? You wouldn't get bored?"

"If they were supposed to be my in-laws… I might as well learn something about you and them that I don't already know."

"Well, alright… if you insist. The first thing you should know about me is that I'm not exactly human. I come from a clan called the 'Rose clan', which is made up of flower wielders like myself. All the citizens have eye colors that range from blue, green, or brown and hair color that ranges from pink, brownish-pink, brown, and red."

"Would that mean that?!..."

"Yes, Larxene... it means that I'm not human. That goes for a few of the members here as well."

"Tell me about your clan and if there are other clans that I don't know about, you have a lot of explaining to do."

"Alright, now about the other clans… there are 8 clans and 13 attributes. You knew that right? The clans are Rose clan, Mortal clan, Frost clan, Wizard clan, Moonlight clan, Black-wing clan, Aqua clan, and Terracotta clan, and each clan has at least 1 or 2 natural birth attributes but, they must be trained to use other attributes. I come from the Rose clan so my natural attributes are flower and cure while someone from the Mortal clan can use fire or thunder."

"But that would mean that I'm…"

"Not human either."

Larxene paused for a moment and looked at her hands. She thought about what Marluxia said and then lowered her hands and stared at him.

He then continued about his life-story, "Now about myself, I was born in the home of a high-ranking man named Michael and a beautiful young woman named Dahlia. My mom always wore a red tank top and dark pink skirt with a red layered skirt underneath, a green hooded cloak and long brown fingerless gloves with brown boots. She also always wore wildflowers in her rose pink hair that was wavy like mine but was longer in length and she also had bright blue eyes. She was protective of Rosianna and me, was also kind and gentle in people's eyes, and she always cared about us. My father on the other hand had sharp facial features and squinted blue eyes. He wore a baby pink dress shirt with green trousers, a red jacket, and brown dress shoes and always wore his hair down … Anyway; I looked more like my mother then I did my father and my father loved me until I turned 5 and developed a will of my own, in which I wanted to make my own decisions. One day, he told me to listen to everything he said and not complain even if I didn't want to do what he asked, which was against my beliefs. I refused to do just that, so he beat me. My mother hopped onto his back and hit him in the head. He grabbed her by her long pink hair and threw her down. She collapsed and I ran to her. My father then commanded me to perform the action and I promised I would. That was the 1st time I had ever seen him treat a child or a woman so harshly."

"May I ask you something?"

"Yes you may."

"That name, Dahlia… it sounds so familiar. Where have I heard it before?"

"You have heard it before because… it's the name of my weapon, the 'Graceful Dahlia'."

"You named a weapon after your mother?"

"I didn't name it… my step-father did. I obtained it after he married my mother. He named it after her because he was in love with her and because she was a 7-clan princess."

"7-clan princess?! Who are they?"

"I may have to explain this too… the eight clan princesses are young women who come from each of the 8 clans and are born and treated like a normal individual until they have to do battle with the leader of the emblem heartless assassins along with the eight clan guardians. The guardians are the protectors of the clan, its people, and the princesses. They like these princesses can wield their birth attributes as well as other attributes but, they're also treated like normal individuals until the day of battle comes. Now, there are only six clan princesses and guardians left because long ago, before you, our parents, and I were born… the Black-wing and Terracotta clan was wiped out. There may be only a scarce amount of them left. Xaldin is one of those Black-wing clan survivors and Lexaeus is a survivor from the Terracotta clan. My mother, Dahlia and step-father, Jacobi were once a 7-clan princess and guardian. "

"How do you know about all that?!"

"I know because I'm also a survivor of a village raid that killed many of my people, including my stepsister and I's parents."

"I'm so sorry, Marluxia. I didn't know…."

"That's alright: that's why I'm gonna tell you all about my childhood now but… you must promise to keep this a secret. Can you do that for me?"

"Of course I will. I'd keep the secret, just for you Marcy."


	9. Chapter 9

** Chapter 9: Ancient Past of the Rose Clan boy, Marluxia (Lumaria)**

"Let me start by saying, I didn't have the kind of father that most people have. I had an abusive father, who was cruel, malicious, and just down-right mean. He made people do things out of fear, bullied them physically and emotionally, and would beat them if they refused to do as he commanded. Some of the people that he did it to behind closed doors was my mom and I. My mother was scared for her life, so I ran to my friend Rosianna and her father, Jacobi for comfort and advice. Jacobi was my mother's childhood friend, so he knew that after 4 years of fighting against the heartless alongside her, my mother was forced to marry my father, Michael against her will only because her mother forced her to. Jacobi was arranged to be married to a woman named Gwendolen, even though he was to propose to my mother the night she was told about the arranged marriage."

"That's sad and romantic when you think about it. Don't tell anyone this but… I also had an abusive father named David who hurt me physically and emotionally only because he claimed I wasn't a pretty girl."

"But Larxene, you're beautiful."

"I know that you think that and my mother Babette and step-father Roger thought the same, but my father didn't. Now he's dead and I don't have to worry about it anymore."

"Well, that's true. The person may be gone, but your memory of them is still there." Marluxia exclaimed. Larxene agreed and asked Marluxia who Rosianna was and what she was like, in case she ever met the girl since Rosianna was a relative of Marluxia's.

Marluxia explained, "Well, she looked and acted a lot like you. She had the green in your eyes, burgundy pink hair, and tan skin. She was very protective, kind, pretty, smart, and at times… sadistic and aggressive."

"What do you mean by 'sadistic and aggressive'? I don't understand that…"

"I simply mean that… she could be sadistic and aggressive only when people bullied her."

"She was bullied… for what!?"

"Her hair… her eyes… who she hung out with… her clothes… basically anything that she liked and disliked. But you know something… she really didn't care about other people's approval or opinions. The only opinion that mattered was her opinion in herself." Larxene thought about his explanation and realized this girl was just like her in some strange way. Larxene then asked Marluxia if he had a picture of her and he replied with a 'yes'. He turned his journal to a certain page and handed it to Larxene. She was stunned when she saw his drawing of her. (This girl looked like her burgundy pink-haired, green-eyed twin.)

She then handed him the journal and asked him to continue with his story, starting from the description of the place he grew up in, who he really was before the Organization, the truth about his family life, and who his parents, friends, and enemies were and how they looked and acted.

He explained, "The village I grew up in was called the 'Vall e des Roses.' It was a very beautiful village, with flowers as far as the eye could see. There was a forest surrounding the village like a protective barrier and there were some greenhouses near some of the citizen's homes, as well as beautiful meadows and valleys." Larxene raised her hand and Marluxia called on her.

Larxene questioned, "That name is pretty… what does 'Vall e des Roses' mean?"

"Well, if it was literally translated… it would mean 'the Valley of the Roses."

Larxene told Marluxia to continue and he did, "There was also a secret garden that only my mother, step-father, step-sister, and friends knew about, which was the same area where my mother married my step-father. It was called the 'lac des bourgeons de roses' or the 'lake of the buds of roses.' You could also call it by Rosianna and I's nickname 'the Rosebud Oasis.' It had a lake, many rare and beautiful flowers, soft grass, cool breezes, and warm sunshine…As I said before, my father was rich but abusive and cruel while my mother and step-father were kind and gentle but used to be poor. They only became rich because of their betrothed marriages to my father and Rosianna's mother, Gwendolen. Before you ask about how my mother and step-father, who were once poor became rich, let me explain by telling you that there are 3 classes in our society: low class, middle class, and high class. Michael and Gwendolen belonged to the high class, which was made up of the rich and the proper, as well as boring rules, rules, rules. Dahlia and Jacobi belonged to the middle class, which was mostly made up education and marriage opportunities. The low class was made up of poverty-stricken people who earned a living by farming and working for the high class society's people as servants or maids…Well, because of our parents… Rosianna and I were in fact high class, even though we didn't want to be. This meant that we couldn't associate with humans or members of the other clans, but **NO ONE** in our clan could associate with members of other clans. It also meant that we would have to attend all high class balls, dances, and parties, follow all the rules… even though they were **BORING**!... and even, marry at the age of 10 and have children by age 18."

"Wait a minute! You had to marry someone at age 10 and have children by the time you were 18?!… That's a stupid rule. That just takes your own childhood away and it seems unfair. Marluxia? What if a person couldn't have kids?"

"If that ever happened, they were considered improper and were shunned from the rest of the high class society."

"That's absurd! But with your step-sister being a girl… did she get married at age 10 or is she still unmarried? Does she have kids?"

"I don't know… I haven't seen her in 15 years. All I know is that she wanted to marry a man named Luke, whom she had a crush on… but that's all I know."

"What did she think of the high class society? Being a girl, I'm sure she liked the luxuries that came with that class."

"Are you kidding!? …She hated everything about the clan. The ruffles and bows, the ball gowns, the backstabbing, the lies, the people, except for a few… **ALL** of that she hated. She was never happy when she had to follow the boring rules of that society or listening to her mother nag her about 'You don't dress properly whenever I come to visit' or 'You need to get married and have some kids. Some guy will straighten you out and the kids won't be as ungrateful as you'. But she did have some friends, even though they were people of the low and high class. The girls she was friends with that were in the high class were rebellious girls who hated the society's rules and customs so much that they wished they could escape the village or even become a low class citizen. There was only one person from the low class that worked for her father as a maid but also admired Rosianna: Clover. She was a rebellious young woman, much like you with wavy red hair, brown eyes, and freckles. She always wore old and torn button-down shirts with half-length brown trousers and green and black combat boots. Her hair was short and was always worn in two messy side buns wherever she was. She also wore a brown hobo hat with a four-leaf clover sewn onto it and had a yellow and green streak in her bangs. She had a younger, color-blind sister named Daisy, who was her complete opposite. Daisy always wore a pink and red dress with brown boots and her hair was always in braided pigtails. Daisy also wore a green apron around her waist with a daisy printed on it, to resemble her mother, Lilly. In my perspective, I think that Daisy resembled the mother and that Clover resembled her father, Jesse. Daisy is a medical healer while Clover is an archer. Rosianna always wore a dark pink tank top with green shorts, brown combat boots, and a red Beanie. Rosianna's long hair was down or in a high ponytail most of the time…But one day when we were 11, she cut her own hair with a shard of broken glass to win a bet against some high class society bullies that she could take their insults and use it against them. She won the bet, of course and they left her alone… most of the time. But she still remained herself, even after all those years of abuse. I just wish you could've met her." The pair continued to talk until it was time for Larxene and the others to return to their own rooms.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Torxi's True Powers**

The next day, Xion went on a mission alone but never returned. 5 days had now gone by and she had not reported back to the Organization. Roxas was becoming worried, so he went to Torxi and Axel for help. He ran to Axel's bedroom with tears in his eyes.

Torxi asked worriedly, "What's wrong, Roxas? Are you all right!?"

"Yeah man, you look bad. Is there something wrong?" Axel chimed in.

Roxas cried, "Guys, I fear for Xion. She went on a mission early this week. She's been missing for 5 days, and I'm worried about her. Saix told me not to worry about it, but I'm scared that she's hurt. Oh my gosh…what if she's dead!?" When Roxas started to sob, Torxi and Axel put their arms around him to calm him down.

After he had calmed down, he asked them, "I've gotta find her! Will you help me?"

Torxi exclaimed, "Of course we will. Xion is our friend and I have a motto for friendship: 'In times of crisis, never leave your friends and loved ones behind!' We are gonna help… right Axel?"

"Yes, I'll help. It's not gonna be easy but that won't be a problem for us. As long as Xion is still wearing that necklace we gave her, we'll find her."

Torxi held one hand to her head and her other hand to her necklace.

Roxas whispered to Axel, "What is she doing?"

"She's looking for Xion… Torxi has foresight, tracking, and truth-telling abilities." Roxas looked confused.

"I can see you don't understand… foresight is where a person can see into the future, as well as looking back into the past and even the present. Truth-telling… how do I put it in a way you'll understand?…um…**I KNOW!** When she touches you, she can see if you're telling the truth or a lie. She can see and feel people's hearts and can even read a person's mind."

"So, she's like a fortune teller, tracker, and lie-detector all in one!"

"Exactly!" After a while, Torxi saw something flash in her head. She collapsed, so Axel ran and caught her.

She rubbed her head and said "… I know where she is. Come on!"

As they ran to the grey area, Saix asked them where they were going and Torxi explained to him the purpose of their mission. He told her to be safe or else Xemnas would kill everyone in the Organization and she explained that she'd have Axel and Roxas there to help and protect her. Saix let her go and they went through a dark corridor that Torxi had opened up. When they got out of the corridor, they wound up in Radiant Garden.

"Why're we here!?" Axel asked.

"This is where I saw Xion. I saw her somewhere here… I just know it."


	11. Chapter 11

** Chapter 11: Fate of a Nobody**

Torxi felt the ground and a feeling of energy went through her body.

"Yes, she's definitely here."

Roxas then yelled, "Then what are we waiting for?! Let's go find her!"

The three ran through the town when Axel shouted, "Where are we going!?"

As they rounded a corner, Torxi exclaimed, "To the cliff over-looking the beach!"

Once they got to the bottom of the cliff, they saw Xion swinging her keyblade violently at a Veil Lizard.

Roxas shouted, "XION!"

Xion looked suspiciously at the group and thought to herself, "Roxas? Axel? Torxi? …What are they doing here?"

Out of nowhere, the veil lizard's long tongue smacked Xion in the head. She collapsed off the cliff and fell down, down, down… until she hit the rough, icy, ocean waters below her.

"**XION!**" Roxas cried. He ran up the hill and sliced that heartless apart like it was a walking stick of butter. Hearts sprang up from its remains. Roxas put his keyblade away and prepared to dive into the water.

Axel grabbed him and warned, "Roxas, you don't know how to swim. Please, let me go get her."

"No, Axel! It's my fault that she's down there and I'm the only one that's gonna save her."

Axel tugged on Roxas's arm, begging him not to jump off the cliff but Roxas screamed, "**LET GO OF ME!** Don't try to stop me… I love Xion and if I have to save her myself, then so be it!" Roxas held his breath and jumped from the cliff into the water below. Axel tried to jump with him, but Torxi held him back. Axel was now worried not just for Xion, but for Roxas as well. He knew that Xion was drowning and that Roxas couldn't swim, but he believed in his friends, so he didn't jump in to save them. A moment later, Saix, Zexion, Larxene, Marluxia, Xemnas, and Demyx arrived. They wanted to know where the keyblade wielders were. Axel and Torxi explained that Roxas had dived in the water of his own free will to save Xion.

When Xemnas asked where they were, Larxene pointed and shouted, "Look down there!"

What Torxi and Axel saw was a terrible sight. Roxas was getting pounded by the waves as well as coughing up water and choking. He kept fighting the ocean waves as he saw himself give in to fatigue. He was **NOT** going to give up on saving Xion. But, after a while, Roxas gave in to his fatigue and eventually collapsed underneath the waves.

Torxi and Axel couldn't believe their eyes.

Torxi cried triumphantly, "That's it! I'm going in after them."

Xemnas tried to stop her by saying, "No, you're not going in those waters. I promised your parents I'd protect you. I'm not letting you get yourself killed. You'll drown just like them."

As Torxi, Axel, and Xemnas argued, Saix had finally had enough and exclaimed, "Would you just let them go?! They want to save their friends and anyway, I know Torxi and Axel can swim because they once saved me from drowning when I was a child. I was their childhood friend and I know them better than the rest of you. Besides, Axel will protect her. Trust me, Xemnas… you must do what's best for her."

She asked again, almost sobbing on the spot. Finally, Xemnas gave in and told her to be safe out there in the water.

Torxi hugged him and Saix, grabbed Axel's hand, and made their way over to Demyx where they explained, "When you see a red glow coming from the water, pull us out with your water song. You'll know it's coming from our necklace because you'll hear a loud, sharp pulse coming from your stone."

Demyx agreed to the plan and had his sitar ready to play. Torxi and Axel held hands as they ran and dived into the water. The pair looked carefully for Roxas and Xion, until they saw a faint, red glow coming from their necklaces. Torxi grabbed Xion, while Axel grabbed Roxas. Then, Axel and Torxi hummed a spell, which made a red glow and a pulse appear on the water's surface. Saix yelled at Demyx to pull the two out of the water and he succeeded. Torxi thanked Demyx for his help and Demyx smiled. She and Axel started to give Roxas and Xion CPR to wake them up. Within minutes, Xion woke up, choking and coughing up water as well as shivering because of the fact that she was in cold water. Zexion wrapped a blanket around her and took her away from the coastline of the water.

Meanwhile, Axel couldn't get Roxas to respond. Axel kept trying CPR on Roxas, but nothing seemed to work. Torxi felt sorry for Axel, so she asked him what was wrong.

He tried to explain, while almost at the point of bursting into tears, "He won't respond. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Oh gosh, if I don't save him… I don't know what I'll do!"

"Let me look at him." Torxi replied.

She put her left ear to Roxas's mouth, to see if she could hear breathing. She heard him breathing, but it was **VERY** weak. She then put her hands on Roxas chest and looked into his body with her healing abilities and saw that there was a lot of water trapped in his throat and lungs. She then asked Demyx to remove all the water from Roxas's throat and lungs with a song. Demyx cleared his throat, grabbed his sitar, and played a soothing melody. All the water from Roxas's body exited through his throat and landed in the sand beside him. Marluxia wanted to help, so he used Cura with Torxi's help on Roxas. Xion and the others watched in awe and with worried eyes, thinking one of their prized keyblade wielders was going to die. Xion almost cried but, Axel held her close to him just in case she did cry, knowing that he felt the same way about Roxas just like her.

After Marluxia told Torxi that what he had done was all he could do, Larxene had an idea.

She exclaimed, "How about I give him an electric shock?! Surely that will make him wake up." She charged up electricity in her fingertips…and as she brought her hands closer to Roxas's chest, Axel grabbed her hands in a rage and pushed them back.

He screamed, "**NO!** ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! IF YOU WERE TO GIVE HIM AN ELECTRIC SHOCK WHILE HE'S STILL WET, YOU'LL ELECTRICUTE HIM AND HE'LL DIE!"

"Hey, I was just trying to help you, Axel. But if you don't want my help, then FINE! I didn't want to help you in the first place."

As Larxene walked away, Torxi shouted, "Wait a minute, Larxene! If Demyx can remove the rest of the water from Roxas's body, then maybe you can give him an electrical shock that won't kill him but may save his life."

Larxene smirked at the sound of that. Once again, Demyx removed the water from Roxas's body with his songs and after that happened; Larxene gave Roxas a small electrical shock. It seemed to work because after the shock, Torxi could hear Roxas breathing harder. It sounded like a short, quick gasp but at least he was breathing. Torxi then thanked Larxene and asked Axel and Xion to come near her.

She told them, "Xion, I need you to give breaths to Roxas when I tell you too. Make sure you see his chest rise. Breathe hard and fast. Axel, I need you to hold Roxas's hand and encourage him to wake up. I'll keep doing chest compressions until I hear him cough or breathe again."

The two agreed to her plan and helped her along the way. Axel encouraged Roxas to live while Xion and Torxi helped save Roxas's life. After a while, Roxas still wouldn't breathe. Zexion told the trio to just give up and all the members were sure that he was dead. But while the members were about to mourn the loss of their best keyblade wielder, Roxas breathed and coughed up water. Xion wrapped her towel around him and hugged him, with tears filling her eyes. Roxas wondered why **ALL **of the Organization members were standing around him, so Axel explained that they were all worried about him. Torxi and Axel hugged each other, feeling glad that they had revived and saved their friend. Tears almost filled their eyes too. The other Organization members went back to The Castle That Never Was while the four friends went to Twilight Town to get some sea-salt ice cream.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: A Mysterious Assassin**

One day, Xemnas requested to speak to Axel about an important matter.

Xemnas told Axel, "Axel, I'm prepared to offer you a deal that you can't and mustn't refuse. I would like you to let Torxi go back to Castle Oblivion where she was staying with Namine. But, there is a catch. She must leave her friends and you behind again. There have been more emblem heartless assassins roaming about, and I would hate to have to see us all lose Torxi or… completely the other way around. What do you say? It is for Torxi's safety and that is the only thing that matters to you… Right!?"

"Master Xemnas, I appreciate your concern. But, I promised myself and Torxi that she would not go back to Castle Oblivion without me. I made that promise and I intend to keep it. If you want her to go away again, then you'll take me too. YOU HAVE **NO** CHOICE!"

Xemnas then exclaimed, "I'm warning you that you can't go with her for certain reasons… You'll get her killed."

"No I won't!"

"Axel, don't push me… you don't want to see me get mad or…"

"OR WHAT XEMNAS!? YOU gonna beat me up? Maybe kill me!? If you don't want me to go with her to Castle Oblivion… then you'll just have to kill me yourself! AND WHY CAN'T I GO WITH HER XEMNAS!? WHY!? Is it because you think I'm weak and that I wouldn't protect her? You think that I would let her fall into the wrong hands?! NO! I'd **NEVER** let that happen to her again! I can't lose her like that one time again! I JUST CAN'T! She's not leaving here without me and that's final, sir! Now good day to you!"

Axel started to leave before Xemnas said, "Axel, please reconsider that option… "

"I SAID GOOD DAY!" Axel walked out of Xemnas's room, slamming the door behind him and leaving Xemnas staring at him, confused and angry. That night, Axel told Torxi everything about what Xemnas had told him and she told him that he shouldn't worry about it. After she and Axel fell asleep, hours later she noticed there was a strange presence outside the bedroom door that seemed to be trying to get inside their room.

She summoned her chakrams and hid them underneath the bed covers. As soon as she heard the door open, she pretended to be asleep while the strange figure walked towards the bed. The figure raised a shining blade above Axel's chest, ready to kill him. As the blade plunged down, Torxi stopped the blow with her chakrams. The figure staggered backwards after getting pushed away from the bed. Torxi threw back the covers and jumped to the far side of the room.

She screamed, "Who are you and who do you work for!? Tell me **NOW!**"

Axel woke up after hearing all of the noise and looked at the figure and Torxi, stunned and confused. He summoned his chakrams and joined in the fight. The three stood still until, Axel made the first move. The figure was targeting Axel and was trying to kill him but before that could happen, Torxi blocked most of the blade's blows and even managed to chop off a few strands of the figure's hair and cut his face, which made blood drip on the floor.

The figure ran out of the room, staggering as he went. Most of the other Organization members woke up with their weapons because they heard all the noise in Axel's bedroom. Torxi shouted at them to attack the man and stop him at all costs. Xion and Roxas ran after him, along with Demyx, Larxene, Marluxia, Zexion, and the other members. They were all thrown back away from the figure one by one as they ran. Saix was the only one that held back until he got his chance. He jumped onto the figure's back and was able to chop off a lock of the figure's hair, just like Torxi had done. The figure ran off and escaped into a dark corridor and was never seen again. All of the members tried to ponder about who the figure was as they staggered to their feet and walked to Axel's bedroom. Vexen took out a cotton swab and rubbed the figure's blood off of the floor and put it into a glass vial, while Torxi and Saix gathered all of the attacker's hair and put it into another glass vial. The hair was silver and the only member with silver hair was Xemnas, but they didn't think it was him. Vexen took the vials back to his room to do some testing on it, while everyone else went back to bed.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Berserker Attack**

One day, Saix had to go on a secret mission alone. He was to investigate any unusual heartless sightings in any worlds. He went to Radiant Garden and saw 2 emblem heartless assassins walking by. He quickly cast the transformation necklace spell before they could see him in his true form. He watched them vigilantly as he quietly hid behind a bush. He swore he could hear them talking human language.

They started to talk back and forth about a secret plan, "So, is Master going to enact his plan soon?!"

"Be quiet! Do you want the whole world to know about this plan? DO YOU!? Good… now shush!"

"What is Master's plan?"

"Why're you askin me?"

"You're in second command of the army… you should know."

"Well, Master's plan is to capture all of the weak citizens of each of the seven clans, and then we are to find the seven clan princesses and guardians before they can do battle against Master."

"What'll happen to the seven clan guardians and princesses after that?"

"Well, Master said that he would 'suck the power out of each princess and guardian and then kill them after they became useless 'mortals'… literally." Saix couldn't believe what he had heard. He had to get back and warn the others.

But just before he could escape, his leg snapped a wooden branch from the bush. The heartless heard it and attacked Saix. The three fought after the heartless made the first move but before they knew it, Saix had already activated his berserker abilities after he opened up his dark corridor. Saix attacked the 2 heartless until, he tripped through the dark corridor, which lead back to The World That Never Was. Saix was still in his berserker attack mode so to him, all he saw was bright yellow and the area in Radiant Garden he was fighting at. Saix eventually felt a sharp pain in his chest and collapsed onto the floor, knocking over a vase and table in the hallway. Torxi and Axel were walking and speaking when they happened to come across Saix.

Torxi noticed the wounds on his arms and tried desperately to heal him while Axel held him in his arms thinking, "What have you done now, Saix?" After Torxi healed him the best she could, she and Axel carried him to the Grey Area, where the other Organization members were relaxing.

As soon as the others saw him, they wanted to know what had happened to him. Torxi asked Demyx to sprinkle water onto Saix's face to wake him up. Demyx did as he was asked and threw water onto Saix's face. Saix's yellow eyes fluttered open to see all the members standing near him in a semi-circle. The eyes of the blue-haired man then began to flash yellow again and he went into berserker mode. Torxi and Axel knew what had happened, so they warned everyone else to stay away from him. All Saix could see at the moment was the Organization members in the form of the emblem heartless assassins he had fought before. He locked eyes with Xion and lunged toward her like a beast on a hunt. Torxi put up a shield of fire around Xion, which burnt Saix. Axel then sought the opportunity to distract Saix while Torxi protected Xion.

He jumped onto his friend's back and yelled, "Saix, where has your common sense gone, man!? Come back to us!"

"I'll never fall for your lies, you murderer!"

"Saix, you misunderstand me… I don't wanna hurt you! The other members and I aren't heartless. You can stop with the berserker attacks, please!"

"**NOT ON YOUR LIFE!**" Saix just wouldn't stop attacking them, so the other members had no choice but to fight. Eventually, it was between just Axel and Saix once again and Axel finally got a good, strong grip on Saix's arms.

Axel smacked Saix in the face and yelled, "Snap out of it man! This isn't the real you! Stop attacking us… we're **NOT** your enemies. Please come back to us man!"

Saix continued to struggle for power with Axel until he collapsed because of fatigue into his friend's arms. Axel shook him and the man opened his eyes. Saix winced in pain as he struggled to get off the ground but with Axel, Torxi, Xion, and Roxas's help, he got to his feet quickly. They walked him to his bedroom, so that he could rest after suffering 2 attacks at one time.

He tried to apologize for his crazy behavior but, Torxi held him and told him, "It's alright. Don't worry about it… Xion's not hurt. You just had a slight berserker attack, that's all."

Axel chimed in too, "Yeah, there's no need to get upset about it. It's alright, really. No one got hurt so, don't worry about it."

As the group laid his body on the bed while Torxi ran to fill up a bowl of water and get a rag to dab Saix's face with, Axel stayed with Saix and watched him vigilantly. Torxi got all of the supplies she needed and started dabbing the poor man's face while Roxas and Xion left the room. Axel pulled a chair close to the bed and held Saix's hand.

Saix began to speak after Torxi was done dabbing his face, "I have something to tell you guys."

"What is it?" Torxi asked.

"Well, I overheard the emblem heartless assassins talking in human language."

"They can't talk… you were probably just hearing things."

"I **WASN'T** hearing things, Axel. I really heard them talk. I'm not crazy!"

"What did you hear them say, Saix?"

"Well, Torxi… I heard them speak of a plan their master was going to take part in. They said that they would capture all of the citizens of each of the seven clans…. And then find the seven clan guardians and princesses. Once they found them all, they would drain their power and then kill them after they became mortal."

Torxi and Axel couldn't believe what they were hearing. Torxi exclaimed, "That's terrible… why would they do that?!"

"They're heartless. They don't care about what they do to others. They've already captured and killed many of the clans' people. They've killed some of my people and captured the others. Most of the people captured were children years ago, adults now. The parents of these children years ago were all killed because the power of the seven clan guardian and princess of each clan was always passed down to two children."

Torxi and Axel were still trying to comprehend what he was saying, so they asked him to tell them everything he knew about these seven clan guardians and princesses. Saix explained all that he could until he fell asleep after he explained about the descendants of these clan guardians and princesses, but he couldn't tell them who these people were now.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Attack on the Castle/ Escape to Castle Oblivion**

One morning at the Castle that Never Was, everyone had woken up, except for Marluxia and Larxene… which was very strange because they were not lazy and liked to arrive on time to things. If it was Demyx or Luxord, who cares! **THEY WERE ****ALWAYS**** LATE! **But, Larxene and Marluxia, no way! Something seemed wrong. The two were asleep in their beds, until they both simultaneously felt a sharp pain in their throat and chest. They collapsed to the floor clutching their body tightly and trying not to cry or scream (even though they wanted to). Then, their eyes started to glow yellow and they summoned their weapons, as if they were possessed by something or someone.

Demyx and Xigbar were walking by them, not paying attention. But after they realized what had happened to their eyes, they questioned the pair. They answered in cold, dark, low-pitched voices… almost as if their voices, bodies, and minds weren't their own. They started to fight them in a 2-on-2 battle, but realizing that they couldn't defeat them alone, Xigbar told Demyx to run and get help from the other members. Demyx ran and arrived in the Grey area, out of breath and puffing like a horse.

He hyperventilated, "Larxene and Marluxia have gone insane! They attacked Xigbar and I and they said they were looking for a clan princess that lives here, but Xigbar and I don't know what they're talking about.… we need your help!"

Axel coaxed him to sit down, "Hold on…back it up, Demyx! You said that they were after a clan princess and that they attacked you?!"

"Yes, Xigbar's still fighting them right now. Please, you have to help us!"

"I'll go help him! If what you say is true… then we need to evacuate everyone and keep Larxene and Marluxia here until they decide to give up or follow us." Zexion exclaimed.

Zexion ran off and Torxi tried to go after him, but Axel and Saix pulled her back. The members remaining in the room decided to evacuate and wait for the others to follow. They went through the dark corridor one at a time to their only safe fortress until they could formulate a plan: Castle Oblivion.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Fight for Power and Namine's Fate**

The group that evacuated made it to Castle Oblivion in one piece, until they could figure out a plan that would work against a now possessed Larxene and Marluxia. Shortly after they arrived, Zexion and Xigbar followed. Now all the members were together (except for Larxene and Marluxia included in the group). As they walked further into the castle, Torxi collapsed to her knees in pain and held her forehead, screaming and crying. Axel held her in his arms tightly and Saix put his hand on Torxi's right shoulder. The other members watched her sadly; knowing what was happening but feeling powerless to help her. (They seemed very worried about her).

She saw a vision of Namine trapped in the castle, locked in a small room. She was shrouded in the darkness of the room, and she looked ill. Torxi knew that she was dying (since she saw the look in Namine's eyes and saw her collapse to the floor.) She started crying into her hands while Axel and Saix held her.

She cried, "I saw Namine… I had a vision. In it, she was ill and dying. I fear for her safety. She was the one that kept me safe and kept me company here while I was trapped in the 13th floor. If we don't find her, she'll die!"

"Do you know where she is?" Zexion asked.

"Yes, I know where she is… follow me!" After wiping her tears on her sleeve, she ran through the castle, searching for the room where Namine was being held captive. At each corner, a member would ask where they would need to go next, and Torxi always gave them a reply by using her tracking abilities while she ran. Finally after they had ran for what seemed like thirty minutes, they made it to the door that Namine was in. Axel tried yelling her name and even ran into the door, telling Namine that he would break down the door after he only heard her only gasping. When he ran into the door, he only hurt his shoulder and barely made a dent in it. Torxi and Zexion tried to burn the door down and Saix beat the door with berserker attacks, but nothing happened. Finally, Torxi thought again and then asked Roxas and Xion to use their keyblades on the door. They tried and the door budged. Xaldin and Lexaeus told the other members to go inside the room while they stood guard at the door.

The room was pitch-black, and it was so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. So, Axel and Torxi lit up their chakrams as if they were torches. They shone the bright orange light around the room until Axel saw Namine. She had already collapsed to the floor; her blonde hair was a mess, her white dress was torn much more than what it already looked like, her skin was pale and cold, and her face was scary-looking. She looked rather weak, almost to the point of death. Zexion summoned a candle on a candle-holder and handed it to Torxi, who lit it and placed it on the floor beside her. She grabbed Namine in her arms, shaking her a little to wake her up.

She cried, "Please, come back to us Namine! COME BACK!" Axel put his hand on Torxi's shoulder and put the other hand on Namine's left hand. Namine blinked and Torxi and the others noticed her left ring finger twitched. Namine placed her left hand on Torxi's face and let it drop to the floor once more; she said nothing but she smiled weakly and tried to use whatever strength she had left to embrace her friends one last time. Torxi was almost in tears and so were Axel and the other members. (They couldn't bear to see their best friend Torxi in pain.) They knew they had to do something… and fast. Or else Namine was sure to die.

Vexen had an idea and decided to put it to the test. He touched Namine's arm, to see if he could remove the cold temperature of her body so that she wouldn't continue to get ill. His plan back-fired as he only made her condition worse by adding more freezing temperatures to her. She screamed in pain as she felt his cold hands touch her already freezing and weak body. Axel made his hands glow with fire and purposely burnt Vexen's hand to make him stop.

Axel screamed, "ARE YOU INSANE!? You're making her condition worse; you're killing her!"

"Hey, I was just testing a theory I had about her condition. It's not a big deal now!" Torxi then had an idea.

She explained it to Axel, "Axel, what if Vexen had a theory about her body heat? If he made her colder… then what if we try to make her warm enough to get well so that I can use Cure on her?"

"That's not a bad idea… it might actually work. But we gotta hurry. It looks like Namine is at her weakest and I fear that she'll die."

Torxi agreed and she and Axel made a sort of barrier on either side of her, heating up their own body temperature to warm Namine up so that Torxi could use Cure on her. After a while though, Namine began to get worse.

They didn't understand what they had done wrong until Roxas said, "It looks like she's getting worse. If I were you guys… I would think about a keyblade or light. Both symbolize love, peace, and happiness to Xion and I while darkness and heartless symbolize suffering, hate, and greed."

"Axel! That's it! We must think of love and happiness. We have to clear our heads of all our bad memories of death and grief and think only of the pleasant memories we had with our families."

"You're right! Let's give it a try."

Axel and Torxi cleared their heads of memories that brought them grief and sadness and tried thinking only about their love for Namine, their friends, the other members, and each other. It brought them both to tears, which was something that never should've happened to a bunch of Nobodies like them. A great amount of energy came from their body and shot into Namine's body, making her feel and appear to look better. The process stopped when Axel and Torxi collapsed out of exhaustion while Namine woke up and struggled to get to her feet. Namine shook Axel and Torxi violently, thinking the pair was dead, but after they groggily opened their eyes and got up off the ground, Namine embraced them both tightly…thanking them for saving her life. They embraced her back and helped her to her feet. They asked her what had happened and she told them that a mysterious man had locked her in the room. The group thought of only one possible suspect: Marluxia. But, Namine explained that it wasn't him, but that it was a man named Diz. The group didn't know who Diz was, but they were gonna find out soon… as soon as they figured out how to defeat Larxene and Marluxia in their now possessed form and find out who their so called "master" was.

As they started to leave the dark room, a woman was standing in the doorway. She had orange hair in a bun, red eyes, long red fingernails and was wearing a thin lilac veil over her nose and mouth. She was wearing red capris pants, a strapless purple gold-trimmed bustier bra (showing her big bust), a multi-colored skirt with gold coins on the end of it, 1 anklet on each leg, 3 bracelets on each arm, a black and gold headband with 2 thin chopsticks in her bun, and brown flats. She seemed to resemble a genie or fortune-teller. She also had a crystal ball in a small pouch around her waist.

The members raised their weapons to her until she explained, "Drop your weapons because I'm won't hurt you, unless you hurt me. I can't even attack you. I have **NO** attack magic because I am a foresight wizard. Trust me, drop your weapons."


	16. Chapter 16

** Chapter 16: Fortune-teller Destiny**

A few of the members were skeptical, because some knew that she was a wizard and they were taught to kill wizards and witches on sight. But Torxi, seeing no shed of dishonesty or darkness in the strange woman convinced them to drop their weapons. As they dropped their weapons, Luxord started to eyeball Destiny, admiring her exotic beauty. She took notice and it caused her to look straight at him, smiling and blushing.

"Who are you? Explain yourself." Axel demanded.

"My name is Fortune-teller Destiny, and I come from the southern Wizard clan village called the "byn av magi" or the village of magic."

"You were born in the "byn av magi" too?" Zexion shyly exclaimed.

"Yes, why?"

"I asked… because I was born there too. I was a child there before I came to the human world."

The other Organization members looked at each other in awe while Destiny came closer to Zexion. "Your face… it seems familiar to me. Do I know you?"

"You should… my parents were Ziam and Aziza and you asked them when I was 8 to come to your tent because you had an important vision for them to see. I was friends with your younger sister, Violet, who was an illusionist wizard like me. Here in the human world, I'm called Zexion but in that village… I was called Ienzo."

Destiny gasped when she heard the name, for she recognized it. She circled around and eye-balled Zexion and she eventually recognized him. She embraced him tightly, saying that she was thankful that he was alive.

"You two know each other?!" Saix shouted.

"Of course… how could I not?! She was and still is a famous traveling fortune-teller in all of the villages, towns, and cities in each of the seven clans. She has visited many people… but I have a theory that she's visited our parents when we were young children… Destiny?"

"Yes?"

"What brings you here?!"

"Well, I came here in search of the seven clan princesses and guardians of each clan… and I think I have found all of the guardians and one of the princesses right here."

She pointed to the Torxi and Xion and said, "You!"

"Me?!" Xion questioned.

Destiny nodded "no" and pointed to Torxi and exclaimed, "She is the one." Torxi, Axel, and the others were in disbelief.

"I don't understand… What's a clan princess?" Torxi questioned.

"You are one of five clan princesses. You are the clan princess of mortals who wields the attribute of fire, just like your ancestor, Veronica. A clan princess is a mythical woman who wields their clan's birth element and the spell of 'cure'. They fight alongside the clan guardians who are young men that have the same powers and abilities. You also have other abilities as well… don't you?"

"Yes."

"What are they?"

"I have excellent tracking abilities, I can have visions of the past, present, and future, and I have truth-telling abilities."

"Interesting… yes very interesting. Hey! You red-haired boy… come here for a moment, please."

"Yeah… what do you want?"

Destiny examined him and when she sensed a clan guardian presence but wasn't sure if it was right, she asked him to reveal his left shoulder and asked Torxi to reveal her right shoulder.

The two did as they were asked and she exclaimed, "I rest my case! You two are the clan princess and guardian of the mortals who wield fire… your birthmarks and the abilities I sense within you prove it. If you still don't believe me… Zexion, see if you can find in your lexicon a page that shows information about the princesses and guardians."

Zexion quickly flipped through the pages until he found several pages that showed all the information about the clan princesses and guardians, written in an old wizard clan language, in which only he and Destiny could decipher. Torxi and Axel tried to read it and surprisingly recognized the language. (Everyone was surprised that they were the only other people that could read it.) When she and Axel read the page, it showed the shoulder of the princess and a shoulder of the guardian, which matched their own shoulder. That's when they realized that the clan princess and guardian that Axel's dad was talking about years ago… was Axel's father, Torxi's mother, and the two's ancestors, as well as themselves.

Destiny examined all the other members until she came across Demyx, Zexion, and Saix. She explained that Saix was the clan guardian of the Moon-light clan who can wield moon and ice, Zexion was the guardian of the Wizard clan who can wield all attributes, and Demyx was the guardian of the Aqua clan who can wield water and ice. She claimed that the fourth guardian was Marluxia (even though she called him a pink-haired man wearing black) who was guardian of the Rose clan who can wield flowers. Everyone was **SO** stunned because they never knew and their parents were killed before they could tell them. She also told them that the other four princesses were still out there and that they needed to find them before it was too late. They agreed to help, but only after they solved their dilemma with Larxene and Marluxia first. She agreed to help them so; they decided to let her stay with the group.

Torxi then felt a sharp pain in her head and exclaimed, "They're here… Larxene and Marluxia have found us."

"They won't find us yet!" Zexion exclaimed. "Come on, I know a way to move to the basements. They'll never find us there." Zexion tore at some wood that was nailed to a small door and told everyone to run down the straight path and wait for him.

They did as he asked and made it to the basements safely… while he stood guard at the door just before creating an illusion to fool Larxene and Marluxia into thinking that the door wasn't there.

Once everyone was in the basements, Zexion explained, "We'll be safe here as long as we **DON'T** go out of the basements. They would never look for us here. They're afraid of this place."

"What do we do now, Zexion?" Xion asked in a trembling voice.

Saix exclaimed, "I have an idea. We all need to get some rest. We've had a long day… and we need to have the energy to fight and do some recon in case we have a strategy to beat Larxene and Marluxia in their possessed form. I have a schedule that may work… Axel, Torxi, Roxas, Xion, Xemnas, Demyx, and I will sleep first. Zexion, Xigbar, Xaldin, Lexaeus, Luxord, Vexen, and Destiny will stay up and think of a strategy to defeat the two members. Once we awaken, they'll sleep and we'll do some recon in the morning."

Everyone agreed and the first 7 members out of 14 went to sleep, while Destiny and the other Organization members worked on a battle strategy. After 8 hours, Destiny and the others slept while Saix and the younger members looked over the battle strategy and fixed it to make it work. After everyone was awake, Zexion, Destiny, Xigbar, and Vexen went out on a reconnaissance mission to gather information about where Larxene and Marluxia were in the castle, what they wanted, who their master was, and what kind of terrain they were in.

After they had received all the information, Vexen explained, "The person controlling Larxene and Marluxia… has no name but what I do know is that he's the leader of the emblem heartless assassins. The two of them are on the 13th floor, waiting for Torxi to arrive so that they can take her to their 'master.' We now know where we have to fight and what we gotta do…right?!"

"Well, Vexen… we do know who we're dealing with and what they want but one thing still remains…. Are we gonna send Torxi out as bait to capture and snap Larxene and Marluxia out of their possession or do we fight them head on together?" Demyx exclaimed.

Zexion then announced, "We don't need to send Torxi out anywhere where she's gonna get hurt… I can use my illusions to disguise myself as Torxi and be the bait so that Axel and the real Torxi can hide in the rafters of the 13th floor and when I give the signal, jump down from there and bind Larxene and Marluxia's hands with rope."

Axel proclaimed, "You know what? That might actually work."

The other members nodded in agreement with the plan and then, Zexion asked Torxi to hold hands with him so that he could perform the transformation. No sooner had he touched her hands did he transform into her form. Every inch of his body no longer resembled himself but he looked like the figure of Torxi. There was however a catch to the illusion, the spell would only work until the hood on his coat was pushed back. If that ever happened, he would change back into his real form. The group tiptoed to the 13th floor and hid behind the wall, while Zexion walked inside. While Larxene and Marluxia chased after him, Torxi and Axel, with rope in their hands climbed into the rafters.

Larxene finally caught Zexion and Marluxia told him, "You thought you could get away, did you now? Torxi, you will be offered as a sacrifice for our master and we'll reenact this ritual as soon as he arrives." Zexion laughed from behind the hood.

"What are you laughing at?!" Larxene demanded.

"You fools… I'm not Torxi! You've got the wrong person."

Marluxia pulled back the hood and revealed Zexion's secret.

Marluxia shouted, "It's an imposter. Let's kill him. You may strike him first, Larxene my dear."

"With pleasure… Marluxia."

As the two cornered him to the wall, Zexion looked up at the rafters and shouted, "Now you two!"

Axel and Torxi plunged from the rafters with Axel jumping onto Marluxia and Torxi onto Larxene. As Torxi tried to tie Larxene's hands together, the girl broke free and ran as fast as she could to distract Axel and to free Marluxia.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Fire vs. Possession**

Marluxia struggled for power with Axel but as Larxene ran by them, Torxi shoved Larxene to the ground. She became more aggressive with her than she normally was (considering the fact that Larxene was possessed and had more strength and speed. It didn't mean she was smarter than Torxi was). As Larxene struggled with her and tried to grab Torxi's hair to subjugate her, Torxi accidently put her hands on Larxene's chest and light enveloped her, freeing her of her possession. She groggily woke up, not knowing where she was and how she got there in the first place.

"Torxi, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Why am I in Castle Oblivion… what's going on?"

"Larxene, listen to me… you were possessed along with Marluxia and you tried to attack the Organization. Axel's trying to save Marluxia but right now… it's too dangerous for you so you need to go where Namine is and stay out of danger."

"I wanna help."

"But Larxene…."

"No ands, ifs, or buts! I'm gonna help. I love Marluxia and I don't want anything to happen to him. Please Torxi; he's the only one that cares about me and I to him."

"Alright, just don't get hurt out there."

"I don't count on it."

The two began to run to Axel to aid him in the fight.

"I know of a way you can help."

"What do I have to do?"

"You need to get close to Marluxia… do or say something that will trigger his memory so that he can snap out of his possession."

"Ok… I'm on it!"

Torxi ran to Axel and shouted, "Axel, We're gonna use Larxene to trigger Marluxia's memories so that he'll snap out of his possession. But I need you and I to act as backup if something goes wrong… alright?"

"Ok. Let's do it!"

The three ran at Marluxia, screaming his name and trying to get him to follow them until Torxi moved out of Larxene's way.

Larxene suddenly shouted, "Marluxia, if the real you can hear me… listen up! I don't want you to be a puppet controlled by someone else. The real you must take back your body and beat this so called 'master'. I know that I've never admitted this to anyone else but you but, I love you and want you to try to remember the girl that I was when we first met. Remember my real name… It's me Marcy, your sweet little Arlene."

Marluxia was about to strike Larxene with his scythe when his eyes went from the pale blue that they were in his possessed form, back to the vibrant sky blue that they were supposed to be. He controlled his scythe so that it wouldn't hit Larxene then he collapsed. Larxene ran to him and embraced him. At first, he didn't accept the embrace but realizing who was hugging him, he hugged her back. Torxi and Axel stood behind the two. Everyone thought it was all over but, once Marluxia stood up, he collapsed to the floor, clutching his head. He screamed at the top of his lungs and told everyone to stay away from him. But as Larxene tried to comfort him, he grabbed his scythe and tried to strike her as his eyes changed to yellow. Torxi pushed Larxene out of the way while Axel blocked the blow from the weapon.

Larxene didn't understand what was happening but Torxi on the other hand did. (Unknown to the rest of the members except Saix and Axel, she had once been affected by possession and it happened the same way that Marluxia and Larxene's happened.) Axel kept blocking the blows until Marluxia ran off but before Torxi could save anyone from him, he used some vines to knock Torxi and Larxene down and he grabbed Namine.

He held his scythe to her throat and decreed, "If anyone takes another step further… I'll kill her. Just give me the clan princess of the Organization and you all will go free. If not, I'll still kill this girl."

Namine was almost at the point of breaking out into tears. Torxi screamed, "Marluxia, the real you wouldn't do this. SNAP OUT OF IT AND JUST LET NAMINE GO, PLEASE! I'LL DO **ANYTHING** YOU WANT, JUST LET HER GO!"

Larxene then chimed in, "WE DON"T HAVE TO DO THIS ANYMORE, MARLUXIA! LET NAMINE GO… WHAT HAS SHE EVER DONE TO YOU!? MARLUXIA, AS A FIANCE AND FRIEND; DO THIS FOR ME, FOR TORXI, FOR EVERYONE! DON'T DO THIS OR YOU'LL REGRET IT FOREVER!"

"I won't let her go until you give me the clan princess and I'll only give you 3 seconds… going once, going twice…."

"Let her go Marluxia, or I'll cut your throat! **NOW!**" Axel hollered.

"You wouldn't kill me, Axel… you know you need me to carry through with your plan."

"I don't need you. I have Saix and Torxi to support me. If you think I'm playing about me killing you, try me. I've killed people once, and I'll do it again. If I see one scar or cut on Namine, you're dead!"

Marluxia thought about it for a while and eventually, he let Namine go. But not before trying to strike her as she ran into Torxi's arms. Larxene jumped in front of Namine and used her back as a shield while Axel grabbed Marluxia's scythe and right hand as he slammed him into the floor to start another power struggle with him.

Torxi told Namine, "Take Larxene behind the wall. Axel and I will try to save Marluxia. Namine, I'm counting on you to keep everyone back behind the wall and to also heal Larxene. Good luck!"

"You too!"

As Torxi ran to Axel, she remembered her new-found power that saved Larxene and came up with a plan. She came up to Axel and whispered, "Axel, I have a plan that may save Marluxia, but I need your help."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I need you to distract Marluxia long enough so that I can summon a ball of light that can save him from the darkness."

"BALL OF LIGHT!? What are you talking about?!..."

"Axel, stay focused. You have to do this for me. It's the only way… please."

"Alright, good luck, darling!"

"You too, Axel!"

As Namine started to heal Larxene, she demanded shyly, "Why did you jump in front of me like that? You could've just let the scythe hit me."

"I know how important you are to the Organization, so I wanted to save you. Look, lately I've been treating you terribly, and for that I'm sorry… but right now, you have to let me go back out there. I have to save Marlux-aaahhh… oh!"

"You need to rest. You don't need to fight when you're obviously injured."

Torxi stood in the center of the floor, creating a ball of light while Axel kept Marluxia busy. Marluxia could see out of the corner of his eye what Torxi was doing so; he created vines to collide into her so that she couldn't finish the spell. Saix and Zexion saw this so they acted quickly, with Roxas and Xion's help to create a wall to defend Torxi from the oncoming vines. Once she had finally got a hold of the ball of light, she told everyone to get back and take cover and gave Axel 'the signal'. Axel quickly got behind Torxi while Marluxia ran at both of them. To protect the other members, himself, and Torxi, Axel put up barriers of fire around the entrances of the 13th floor and around himself and Torxi.

A colossal blast enveloped the room and as Roxas tried to run through the barrier while shouting "AXEL, TORXI!"

Saix grabbed him and embraced him and Xion until the explosion subsided and the barriers collapsed. Roxas and Xion went searching for the pair, shouting their names and looking all around until they saw Axel and Torxi, crouched beside an unconscious Marluxia. Larxene saw her lover and ran to him, throwing her body on top of his.

She exclaimed, "WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM!? WILL HE BE ALRIGHT? PLEASE, SOMEONE TELL ME!"

"He's just fatigued from his possession, but he's still alive if that's the answer you want. He needs to be treated for wounds at once. We'll take him to my old room." Torxi reassured her.

As Axel lifted Marluxia into his arms and Torxi walked behind him, Larxene grabbed her arm and embraced her quickly. "Thank you! Thanks for everything… just thanks for saving him, saving me. Thank you so much! No one else would have done that for me but you and Axel and I'm so sorry for treating you terribly the first day I met you!"

"There's no need to apologize, Larxene. The important thing is that you and Marluxia are alive and can now be together in peace."

They placed Marluxia on the bed and once Namine and Torxi got in there, they used Cure on him. After what seemed like hours, Torxi, Namine, and Axel let Larxene stay with Marluxia for the rest of the night. While everyone else was asleep, Larxene stayed up. She continuously watched over Marluxia until, she gave into her fatigue. Marluxia woke up several hours later, clutching his head and feeling the bed until he came across Larxene's body.

He woke her up by saying, "Larxene dear, wake up please. It's me, your Marcy."

Larxene awoke gracefully and embraced Marluxia even though he was obviously wounded. He didn't care so, he let her hug him. (He knew how worried she was and didn't want to upset her). Larxene and Marluxia talked and embraced one another until the other members awoke to see Destiny about a clan princess and guardian meeting.


	18. Chapter 18

** Chapter 18: Finding the Princesses and Rosianna's Army**

Destiny welcomed the members and even introduced herself to Marluxia and Larxene and told Marluxia about him being a clan guardian of the Rose clan, which left him and Larxene confused and full of awe.

Larxene asked if she was one of the princesses and Destiny said, "No. Torxi is the only one in this Organization. However… your ancestor Relena, who was a human or mortal married a Rose clan guardian named Matthew and even fought alongside him in the Seven Clan War." Larxene was happy to hear that but, was a little confused.

Destiny then explained, "I've called you all here today because I need your help in finding the other princesses and with Torxi's tracking abilities, we have a better advantage than the heartless do. We are searching for 4 other clan princesses, each from one of the 7 clans. The first princess is Rosianna, a Rose clan princess. She has burgundy pink hair and green eyes and is a skilled archer and battle strategist in her village. The second is Scarlett, a Moon-light clan princess, with sky blue hair, pierced elf-like ears, and yellow eyes. She is experienced with a lunar blade and has a bad temper towards humans. The next one is Crystal, a Frost clan princess and also the Ice Princess of her kingdom. She has blonde hair and pale blue-green eyes and skin. She also once lived in the Aqua clan from the age of 4 and a half to 10 years old, after she was separated from her parents at the age of 4. The last, is my sister Violet who is a Wizard clan princess. She has violet eyes and shoulder-length violet hair, which is why she was named Violet. She can read ancient languages and loves books. She can also have visions like me but, she can also use attack magic, whereas I cannot. You know what your mission is… so let's find these princesses." Zexion and Demyx left together to look for Crystal and Violet, Larxene and Marluxia left to go look for Rosianna, and Saix, Torxi, and Axel left to look for Scarlett.

When Larxene and Marluxia got to their dark corridor, Marluxia whispered, "Let's go to the Rosebud Oasis to relax and look for Rosianna."

"That's what you said the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd time we went there. This will be the 4th time. But, if you're certain that she's there, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Besides, I do feel a little bit tense right now so… relaxing will be good for the both of us."

"Then what are we waiting for, let's go!" The two stepped through the dark corridor and landed in the 'Vallée des roses.'

The two heard some emblem heartless assassins approaching, so they ran deep into the forest. They came across the stone door that would lead them to the Rosebud Oasis but, something was very odd. The stone door was normally closed but today, it was opened to crack where only a female could fit through it. Larxene looked in the crack but saw no one so… she decided to go inside.

She fit through the crack and told Marluxia, "I'm gonna look for Rosianna in here. But, what do I do if there are other people in here?"

"If they're alone, leave them be, unless they're wounded. If there is more than one, fight them if they attack you but don't kill them. I'll be there shortly, just give me 2 minutes."

"Alright, good luck, Marcy. Be careful in the forest or the emblem heartless assassins will get you."

"Don't worry I will, now go!" Larxene did as she was commanded and Marluxia held one hand to the door and one hand to hisnecklace and repeated the incantation, "Ouvrir la porte de Pierre, de grande puissance. Ouvrez la porte pour moi!"

The door opened and a loud shout came from the inside, "Marluxia, the person's alone and it appears to be a wounded female who is currently unconscious!"

"Excellent work, Larxene! Just stay with her until I close this door."

****Marluxia came inside the Rosebud Oasis and closed the door with a different incantation, "Fermer la porte de Pierre, de grande puissance. Fermez la porte pour moi!"

After that, Marluxia ran to Larxene and looked at the strange woman. "Have you revealed her face yet?!"

"No, not yet Marcy. I wanted to wait until you arrived to do anything. I have however put water on her wounds and ripped some of my own white dress, which I wear underneath my coat, to close up one of her most torn up wounds."

Marluxia bent down towards the woman and drew back her hood, which he backed away from and gasped. The woman had her burgundy pink hair in a French braid, and she was wearing an army green hooded zip-up vest over a rose pink short sleeved shirt, ripped crimson red jean shorts, brown combat boots, gold and bronze armor, brown fingerless gloves, and her Rose clan emblem necklace and a belt with the Rose clan insignia on it. She was also carrying a quiver of arrows, Dahlia's old bow, and a beige medical pouch.

"What's wrong, Marcy?"

"It's her! It's Rosianna, I can feel her presence inside me even though she's right here and I can also see that she's a human, not a heartless in disguise."

"This is your step-sister?! She looks exactly like me, but she looks a little more tomboyish and she has brownish-pink hair and green eyes. I wonder what happened to her?"

"From the look of these wounds, it looks like she was attacked by emblem heartless assassins. She was able to close the door a bit but was fatigued and has been lying here ever since. It also looks like she was able to find a poison wound antidote in her pouch and heal herself only enough to stay alive."

"She's not dead… is she?"

"No, she's still alive, but we need to create another antidote for her and heal these wounds completely. And, I think that all these plants here will help us create the antidote."

"But, we have to take her back to the Organization. Will she even come with us?"

"With a little persuasion, I'm sure she'll come with us."

Marluxia picked the herbs and then bent down even further to reach Rosianna. Larxene grabbed Rosianna's shoulders and back and gently placed her in her lap, while Marluxia healed her. After her wounds were healed, Marluxia grabbed many various plants and herbs to create the antidote, using the poison from one of wounds. They stayed by her side even after she sprung put of her sleep and screamed Marluxia's old name, Lumaria at the top of her lungs.

"Hello, Rosianna. It's me, Lumaria." Marluxia exclaimed.

Rosianna saw Larxene and Marluxia and sprung to her feet, holding her bow at a direct aim at the two of them. She questioned, "Who are you and how did you get in here?!"

Marluxia whispered to Larxene to stay quiet while he spoke to her and once he had cleared his throat, he explained, "My name is Marluxia and this is my fiancé Larxene. We were able to get in here because of our necklaces and we helped heal your wounds. We even helped create a poison antidote for you. If you still doubt us, look me in the eyes and tell me that I'm a liar."

"Your face is so familiar… do I know you?!"

"You should Rosianna. I'm your step-brother, Lumaria." Rosianna tried to consider the idea, but she realized how she got tricked by the heartless the last time. She was a little more wary about how to deal with this situation.

Rosianna then held her bow to his neck, "Prove it to me. Prove that you're my step-brother."

Marluxia then began to say random things that he thought would trigger her memory, "Well, you always were stubborn. My parents were Dahlia and Michael and your parents were Gwendolen and Jacobi. My father and your mother were abusive so, my mom and your dad married each other when we were 12 and we became step-siblings."

"**TOO EASY!** Explain more."

"Your friends were tomboys from the low and high class society and your boyfriend was Luke, a boy who rebelled against the high class society. Your female friends were Clover, Daisy, Hazel, Poppy, Naomi, and Dakota. Clover and Daisy were low class and you and your other friends were high class, just like me. Clover, Daisy, and their mother, Lilly were scullery maids to you and your father. Clover and Daisy admired you and Clover became a thorn archer while Daisy became a healer. I inherited this scythe from your father and you inherited that bow from my mom when they both died in the village raid 12 years ago. You were also abused by your step-father, Damian, who would beat you almost to death, until your father forbade him to **NEVER** come to your house again and you beat the crap out of him."

"**TOO** **PERSONAL!** Speak some more."

"When we were 8 years old and were training in the art of the scythe and bow, we came to the Rosebud Oasis to relax and play. We were swimming in the lake together when, you revealed your right shoulder and I revealed my left. There was a special birthmark, and I now know that it symbolizes our alliance together with the other 7 clans. May I?"

Marluxia pushed the top of his coat down and revealed his birthmark while he pushed down the sleeve on Rosianna's shirt to reveal her birthmark. "If you still don't believe me," Marluxia claimed, "then look at this picture and try to tell me that the birthmarks aren't the same and that I'm not your relative."

They looked exactly the same (Except for the fact that Rosianna had the Rose clan emblem on a crown and Marluxia had the emblem on a shield.) When they touched, a great power surged inside of them. That's when Rosianna realized that Marluxia was her step-brother and ran into his arms, crying into his chest. He held her and Larxene joined in the embrace.

The embrace stopped when Rosianna asked, "I've never seen you here before… who are you?"

"My name is Larxene and I'm Marluxia's fiancé. I'm a human girl from Twilight Town and Marluxia found me when I was in danger."

"OH! You must be the human girl that Lumaria was searching for… but why do you call him 'Marluxia'… was it?"

Marluxia explained suddenly, "Well, you see. Larxene and I are part of a group known as Organization XIII and when each member joins, the letters of their old name are rearranged and an 'X' is placed in a random part of the new name. You go by that name in the Organization. My name was Lumaria and when it was rearranged, it changed to Marluxia. Larxene's old name was Arlene and when it was changed it became Larxene."

"Is it still okay if I call you Lumaria? It would confuse the other Rose clan members and I, and I don't want to confuse them."

"You can call me anything you want … you can even call me 'rosebud' again as long as I get to call you 'little Rosi'."

"Certainly! It's a deal."

"I'm so excited that I'm your sister-in-law, Rosianna."

"So am I, Larxene. So am I."

Larxene broke the hug and whispered to Marluxia, "We have to take her back to the Organization. You have to ask her."

Marluxia stepped towards the woman and asked, "Rosianna?"

"Yes, Lumaria. What's on your mind?"

"The Organization gave us strict orders to search for and bring back the 7 clan princesses that are still out there and we found you. We already have one princess and she's one of our female members. You have to come with us… only if you want to. If you don't, we understand."

"No… I'll go with you."

"Then what are we waiting for!? Let's go already." Larxene grabbed Rosianna by the hand and tried to lead her to the stone door but, Rosianna exclaimed, "But, I won't go without my army and family."

"What do you mean by your army and family?!" Marluxia questioned.

"I'll explain on the way." Rosianna, Marluxia, and Larxene repeated the incantation once again to open and close the stone door. Then they started walking towards the back of the forest.

Rosianna started to speak, "When we split up into 3 different groups after the village raid and you went to the human world while I went with Luke to look for Rose clan survivors… Luke and I got separated along the way. I was 16 and was walking towards the Rosebud Oasis when I heard a familiar voice call my name. It sounded like you and it seemed like you were in trouble. Heartless were surrounding you so; I fought them off one by one to save you. I really thought it was you and as I tried to lead you to the Rosebud Oasis, the figure of you turned back into its original form: an emblem heartless assassin. They chained me up and dragged me to their Rose clan prison. They threw me into a jail cell and that's when I saw Luke again. This time, he was taking care of two girls: Katie and Nadine, who had lost their parents Miranda and Edward in the village raid when they were only a year old. At the time, the two of them were 5 years old. Luke told me why we were captured and that's when I realized that I was the 7 clan princess from the Rose clan. I knew that I had to escape or else I'd be killed, along with my clan but, I wasn't gonna leave without my new and old friends."

"How did you get out?" Larxene asked.

"I formulated a plan while I was in that jail cell, with the help of Katie, Nadine, and Luke and whenever the guards were asleep, I would try to spread the word about the plan to Clover and her family, who were in the cell across from us."

"How would you communicate?" Marluxia inquired.

"We would write on the numerous stones that we found in our cells and we used a sharp quartz stone to imprint the stone with whatever we wanted to say. They were big stones so we had no problem writing… to send them, we would throw them, with good aim to each other's cell door. Once we knew the plan, I used the vines that were in the room to grab the keys from the sleeping night guard. I unlocked my cell and Clover's while Luke ran and got our old weapons. We made a run for it through the window, swam across the lake, and ran into the forest. Once we made it into the Rosebud Oasis, we summoned a dark corridor, which would take us to Traverse Town. We rented a house to stay in for the night while we came up with a plan that would help the others get out. We decided to go back to the Rosebud Oasis and live there, leaving every day to look for you. After 3 years of searching for you, we went back to our old plan of breaking the other citizens out of their prisons, which we succeeded in. Once we had all the citizens behind the barrier, we went out of the Rosebud Oasis and made homes out of large tents behind what was left of our forest barrier. This is why our army lives in the back of the forest. "

Marluxia tried to ponder all of what she said, then he asked, "How many people are in your army now and what's it called?"

"There are about 2,956 people in the army including myself, my family, and my friends. It's called the ' pine Arm e.' Or the 'Thorn army' in your human language." Suddenly, Rosianna stopped.

"What's the matter? Is this the place?" Larxene questioned.

"Yes, this is it. Just stay quiet the two of you and I'll handle the rest." She knocked on a tree trunk and a person jumped down from the high branches.

"Who are they, Captain Rosianna?!" the cautious red-head asked.

"They're friends, Clover. The man is Lumaria and the girl is the human girl, Larxene… or the girl he searched for." Clover looked surprised and went over to hug Larxene and Marluxia.

"You remember Clover, right Lumaria?"

"Of course I would remember her. She's the only girl that could outrun all the boys and was also the only red-head out of all of us that lived in the whole village."

"It's very nice to see you again, Lumaria. We desperately need your help. And, it's so nice to meet you too, Larxene."

"It's nice to meet you too, Clover." Surprisingly, Clover had not changed. She was wearing a human tomboy's version of a thorn archer's uniform but, her face, body, and hair hadn't changed over the past 12 years.

"Everyone will be glad to see and meet all of you. They've been working rather hard on preparing for the war. Even boys as young as 10 have joined our ranks! My own sons have joined the army as spear fighters."

"Congratulations, Clover… you must be very proud."

"I'm proud and worried for them, Rosianna. What if they get killed in this war?!"

Marluxia grabbed Clover's hand and with a smile, he said, "Don't worry, Clover. Your sons will be alright. I'm certain of it."

Clover playfully punched Marluxia in the arm and smiled back. Clover then led them to the campsite of their military camp and Marluxia and Larxene were amazed at what they saw: Men, women, and children as far as the eye could see, wearing shining armor and carrying dazzling weapons. They were training very hard and they saw what seemed like tens of thousands of warriors.

Clover led them down a path of tents and campfires and shouted, "Everyone, stop what you're doing cause I have an announcement to make!... Lumaria and the human girl he has searched for have come to the Thorn Army to help us win the war!"

The people cheered and went up to Marluxia and Larxene, hugging them and rejoicing their return back to the Rose clan.

Rosianna walked off during all the commotion and went to a large tent and beckoned Marluxia and Larxene to come with her. She wanted them to meet her family. As they pulled back the curtain on the doorway, Marluxia and Larxene saw three people: two girls and one man. The man turned to look at them and saw Marluxia and Larxene.

Rosianna proclaimed, "Luke, Nadine, Katie… Lumaria and the human girl he searched for have come too help us win the war!"

"Uncle Lumaria!" a light pink-haired girl in a pink dress exclaimed as she ran into Marluxia's arms.

Marluxia and Larxene caught her as she collapsed in her uncle's arms and she started to cry as soon as she looked at him, apologizing for her behavior.

Marluxia told her, "It's just normal. You missed me, that's all. You must be Nadine, right?"

"You guessed correctly!"

The man then walked up to the couple, "Lumaria… how wonderful to be with you again. But, this time, it will be as a comrade on a battlefield."

"It's very good to see you again, Luke."

Luke looked over at Larxene and exclaimed, "It's good to see that Lumaria found you. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too!"

Katie just stood in the corner, staring oddly at her Aunt Larxene and Uncle Marluxia (Lumaria). She really didn't seem to care about them and she seemed to be furious with them.

Rosianna called out to Katie, "Katie, won't you be a dear and welcome your aunt and uncle to the camp?... Katie, is something wrong?"

"They didn't come to help us when we were treated like animals in those jail cells. They didn't help us when we were at war with heartless. They didn't even come when I married Roberto. They're **NOT** welcome here! Send them back where they came from."

Katie ran out of the tent in a rage, kicking the walls of the tent as she went outside. Rosianna followed after her, but was too late.


	19. Chapter 19

** Chapter 19: 1****st**** Princess Found, 3 to go**

"Katie!...Oh dear, please… excuse me for her behavior. She's going through a rough time."

Marluxia looked at the stairs and then back at Rosianna and inquired, "What's wrong with her, Rosianna? Maybe Larxene and I can help."

"You see, her husband is off in the war with Nadine's fiancé, Ricardo and Katie's worried sick about him. She is only 16 and Roberto is 18. She's angry at the two of you because she feels that you weren't there for her when she needed you the most. Now that she had Roberto, she seemed to be fine however, once he went off to war… she felt alone again and started to take her anger out on you and Larxene. I just wish I knew how to help her; I just don't know how."

"I might be able to help her… if you come back with your army to the Organization."

"Of course, Lumaria. Of course."

"May I speak with her for a moment?"

"Certainly."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, brother."

Marluxia walked out of the tent and started to search for Katie until he found her in a tree not far from the camp, crying into her knees and looking out into the distance.

Marluxia climbed up the tree and exclaimed, "Boy, you sure like to hide in high places. But, I do have empathy for you."

"What do you want? You want to tell me that I should apologize to you? Well, I refuse to apologize to you or your fiancé. You weren't there for my sister and I just like Mother Rosianna and Father Luke were. You didn't help us and I'll **NEVER** forgive you!"

Marluxia sighed heavily and then announced, "Well, I didn't come up here looking for an apology. I came here to talk to you and to also see if I could help you. I heard about what's going on with the war and how it has separated you from your husband Roberto. Tell me something Katie: Are you afraid of him dying before your eyes or are you scared that he'll never come back?"

Katie dried her tears and then looked back at Marluxia and cried, "I'm scared about what's gonna happen to him because… I was only a year old when my parents were killed in the village raid 15 years ago. I don't wanna lose any more friends or family on that battlefield. Many come back wounded or close to dying and some don't come back at all. I don't wanna be one of those women who see their husband die before their eyes or hear that they were killed in battle. Many of the older women here lose their brothers, husbands; even their own sons… and I don't wanna be one of them."

Marluxia held the innocent burgundy pink haired 16-year-old in his arms and explained, "I know exactly how you feel."

"No you don't. You're lying to me… just like when Mom told me you would come when we were in trouble but did you ever come?! I THINK NOT! -"

"WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP AND HEAR SOMEONE ELSE OUT FOR A CHANGE?!" Katie shut her mouth and let Marluxia talk.

He continued, "I do know how you feel because I was one of the people that lost my parents in that village raid and it wasn't just you and your sister… it was everyone: Mother Rosianna, Father Luke, Aunt Clover, everyone lost their parents that day."

"Really?! Mom never told me that!"

"She probably didn't want you to have bad memories of that day flash back in your mind anymore. Now, as I was saying… I lost someone dear to me as well: my mother Dahlia."

"Your mother's Dahlia?!"

"Yes, why?"

"She's a famous thorn archer in the village and she's even a clan princess and Jacobi was the clan guardian that fought alongside her!"

"I knew that already. Rosianna and I are clan princesses too…and I almost lost someone else that was dear to me as well."

"Really? Who?"

"Your aunt and my fiancé Larxene. I found her after she had almost gotten crushed by a falling tree. She was searching for her missing mother and step-father, and she believed that her abusive father had something to do with their disappearance. When she found them… they were dead and she was upset and furious. Some heartless later on electrocuted her and tried to ambush us. She almost got killed and if the 2nd member of Organization XIII hadn't come and found us, she would have died. Every time we go into battle or we even hang out as a couple together, I always remember that day and I always try to protect her."

"That's kinda like Roberto and I. He saved me from a heartless ambush and when we spent 3 months together on the battlefield…then on the 4th month, he proposed to me and we got married the next day. After this war, we plan to have children and raise a family however, many women here are giving birth everyday but they will only add to all the killing that the heartless can do. The heartless only have one objective: Take the powers from the 7 clan guardians and princesses and then kill them. Once that's done, kill the keyblade wielders and take over all worlds. That's why they kill many of us to get to you and Mother Rosianna and that's why we constantly fight to protect you two since you're our last hope."

"I don't expect you to apologize to me or Larxene for your behavior but, at least treat us with some sort of respect and come back to the camp with me."

"… Alright, I'll go back with you but, I really do apologize for my behavior and I'm sorry for all the trouble it caused you two."

"It's alright. Everyone gets sad sometimes."

The two walked back to the camp, where Katie apologized for her behavior and Rosianna made the announcement, "Everyone. Gather all your belongings, weapons, and family. Lumaria and his fiancé Larxene have offered to have us come live with them at their Organization's headquarters!"

"How do we know we can trust his organization?! What if they trick us and lock us up like animals again just like the heartless did?!" a brave warrior questioned angrily.

Marluxia gathered his breath and then insisted, "I assure you that you'll be under my protection while you're there."

"But what about the men that are away at war? They won't know where to go!"

"There's no need to worry about it! I can see all of the men over the ridge! All of them are alive but most of them require medical treatment!" The watchmen shouted.

Katie looked desperately for her husband and Nadine looked for her fiancé. At last, Katie found both of them, they were both wounded but she was glad to see they were alive. Roberto ran to Katie and they kissed passionately while Nadine ran to Ricardo hugging him tightly. Rosianna, Luke, Marluxia, and Larxene went over to see them. Marluxia and Larxene introduced themselves to Ricardo and Roberto and when everyone was packed and ready to leave, Marluxia opened the dark corridor which would lead them back to the Organization. Back at Castle Oblivion, everyone was searching desperately for Marluxia and Larxene, thinking they were possessed and that they would attack them again. But just then, Marluxia and Larxene appeared with the Rose clan army following behind them.

Axel exclaimed, "Marluxia, Larxene! Who are these people and where the heck have you two been?!"

"These people will help us win the war between us, them, and the heartless and they are my step-sister's army, imported from my hometown, the Rose clan. I brought my step-sister who is in fact the 7 clan princess of the Rose clan. They're staying here and if I hear that you or any members hurt them… Larxene and I will personally kill you all! GOT IT!?"

"Yeah! Yeah! I got it already, Flowerboy."

Torxi then stepped in, "You must take her to see Destiny to make sure she's the clan princess even though I can sense that she is one."

"Fine, we will. Marluxia, go get Rosianna and Torxi and Axel, you two take us to Destiny."

"Alright, follow us!" The four went to see Destiny and she concluded that the 1st of the four princesses had been found. Rosianna went back to her army and the other Organization members went to bed to search for the other 3 princesses the next day. One princess down, 3 more to go.


	20. Chapter 20

** Chapter 20: Scarlett, Saix, and the Berserkers **

The next day, Saix, Torxi, and Axel left early to go search for the Moonlight clan princess, Scarlett. They searched in all the worlds and had no luck finding her. They got back and reported to Destiny that they couldn't find her, until they heard a scream coming from the 13th floor. It was Xion's scream and once the trio got to the top floor, they saw Xion bleeding from her slashed arm as she pointed at someone. It was a masked figure: It appeared to be a female and it looked like it was wearing a cobalt blue zip-up vest with a purple tank-top underneath it as well as the Moonlight clan insignia printed on the back of the vest, black pants, black fingerless gloves, brown belt for her blade, black knee-high boots, and a baby blue face mask, covering her face. All you could see as she ran by was a red glow to her eyes. She was also holding a sharp, small blade that resembled Saix's claymore, the 'Lunatic'. The other members followed after the figure. Saix knew she was Moonlight clan so; he followed after everyone else. Everyone was fighting the masked figure until Marluxia was able to see his chance. He jumped on her back and climbed on top of her. When she tried to resist, he punched her in the face until Saix grabbed him and threw him away from the figure.

Saix exclaimed, "EVERYONE JUST GET AWAY FROM HER! If you want her, you'll get through me! The figure's Moonlight clan and they're under my protection!"

The figure started to back away from Saix when the two of them noticed their Moonlight clan emblem necklaces were glowing and moving closer towards each other until they locked on to each other and then broke away like two same-sided magnets. The figure seemed to be scared so to calm her down; Saix undid the veil from the figure's face and it revealed a woman who was the same age as Torxi, with beautiful golden eyes, beautifully pierced elf ears (like Saix), a gold star-shaped tattoo under her left eye, and soft shoulder-length blue hair, (which was now in a high ponytail with a small braid behind her right ear instead of down like Saix's hair.) She was bleeding from her lower lip and seemed to have a bruise on her left cheek. Saix tried to introduce himself to the frightened woman when she socked Saix right in the jaw as he approached her too closely.

Saix inquired as he rubbed his jaw, "Who are you…. and how did you get here?"

At first, the woman didn't answer because she was wary of how the heartless tricked her last time but realizing that this man wouldn't hurt her and that he didn't have the presence of a heartless within him, she answered his question, "My name is Scarlett, I come from the northern Moonlight clan village of 'Dorp Onder de Maan' or the 'village under the moon' and I got here after I found a dark corridor."

"Scarlett, that's a pretty name."

"Thank you… um, what's your name? Or should I just call you No Name?"

"I have a name… it's Saix or in the 'Dorp Onder de Maan', I was known as Isa, one of the members of the surviving families from the northern clan village raid that occurred 19 years ago when I was 5 years old."

"That name 'Isa' sounds so familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?"

"You said your name was Scarlett and you now know that my name is Isa. You may not remember me but I sure do remember you… Scar."

"The only one that used that nickname towards me in the village was Isa… thatwould mean that you are him! I'm so glad that you're alive after all this time!"

"It's nice to see you again too, Scar."

The two embraced and then Marluxia exclaimed, "You two know each other?!"

They simultaneously replied, "Yeah, why!?"

"Then why did that crazy woman attack us? Can you answer that, Saix, you crazy lunatic?" Zexion questioned.

"Zexion, you're really asking for a berserker attack and you're also lucky I don't storm over there and shove that big, fat lexicon of yours up your…"

"SAIX AND ZEXION, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Torxi shouted.

"No Saix, it's okay for that scary, emo intellectual to call you and I crazy. It's just in their clan's nature to tear people apart with words and manipulation, just like the wizard that became evil tried to tear and destroy the other clans apart. But, he's lucky it's not the night of a full moon or else he'd be history."

"Ahem…You know I can hear you!"

"Yeah, yeah! I know you can hear me, Mr. Dog Ear Wizard."

"Oooo… She totally burned you Zexion!" Axel announced.

That comment made Axel, Torxi, the other Organization members, and even Saix laugh. (Although they were all Nobodies and that Saix usually was very nonchalant and cruel, this was the first time in 6 years that Torxi and Axel ever saw Saix laugh.) After their laughter subsided and Zexion sarcastically laughed and got over the joke, Saix then helped Scarlett to her feet and asked her to come see Destiny. Once she saw Destiny, the lady proclaimed that she was the princess of the Moonlight clan and that they only had 2 princesses down and 2 more to go if they wanted to save their worlds and people.

After they finished their meeting, Saix and Scarlett went back to his room to rest.

Saix asked her why she attacked them and even offered to heal her wounds, which she accepted while she replied, "Sorry for attacking you and your friends. I thought you were heartless at first, but I made a huge mistake. I was trying to gather information on them and then leave, but I guess I'll stay since you are so kind to me. But even if I did leave, where would I go?!...I hate the heartless because they ruined my life. They've ruined it so bad that I have to constantly hide my sister and her husband and humans don't even trust me anymore. They've actually stoned me in public, they've hit, kicked, and punched me so; I've learned to just let them get hurt or killed since they give me **NO** respect whatsoever… Saix, I know this is random to say but I've been having strange dreams and I was wondering if you could tell me what they mean."

"What kinds of dreams?!"

"Dreams about my past that seem like dreams but are really fragments of memories or visions of the future. But there is a catch to my dreams: if I'm exposed to too much moonlight while I sleep, I go through a berserker nightmare, which hurts the victim and can hurt others around the victim."

"I know of what you speak of but if you hate humans, does that mean you don't trust my childhood friends from the human world, Axel and Torxi also known as Lea and Itor?"

"Who?!"

"The red-haired boy with green eyes and the mahogany haired girl with blue eyes that always hang around each other. You know… the ones that led us to Destiny."

"Oh yeah, those cruel, malicious creatures!"

Saix banged on his bedside table in anger, scaring Scarlett a little before shouting, "They're not cruel at all… in fact; they actually saved me from 12 humans that attacked me because I was Moon-light clan when I was 8 years old. Some humans actually wanna help us while others only care about themselves and want to shun or hurt us. The ones that hurt us actually fear us because of the tremendous amount of power that we hide. But, Torxi and Axel aren't like that at all and I can prove it to you!"

"How?!"

"You can hang out with each of them tomorrow and if I hear that they hurt you, you can still believe that they're evil but if they're nice to you; you must stop treating them with disrespect because they are **MY** friends. I will also tell a story about what they did for me after the attack and what I did for them in return. So, Scar…is it a deal?"

"Fine… it's a deal. Now, you said you were gonna tell me that story."

"Oh yeah, that story about how they saved my life… well, the reason my****family and I came to the human world in the 1st place was to escape the heartless and gather information about them so that we could formulate a plan to rescue all the people and take back the clan…Once we got to the human world of Radiant Garden, I tried to make some new friends to at least find out something about the heartless and because I was rather lonely… however, when I introduced myself to a group of 6 girls and boys, a total of 12 people… they asked me if I was Moonlight clan because of my blue hair and sea-green eyes, which would turn yellow with age and I replied, "Yes I am and I'm proud of that heritage." That's when they turned on me by punching me in public in the streets. Adults looked at me with scorn and some looked like they wanted to help but didn't and others just scoffed or laughed at me. The boys were the only ones that hit me while the girls said some nasty things which I really don't wanna repeat."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't wanna. Believe me… I know how you feel and surprisingly for the 1st time in about 12 years… I feel empathy for you and I'm even crying for you."

"Well don't cry. Everything will be alright, Scar… anyway, I started crying and tried to fight back, but they just kept coming with even harder and stronger hits and punches. Some of them even stoned me almost to death saying, 'What's the matter, Moonlight clan boy? Can't use your powers in the daytime?! Take that you human murderer!'… (sniff)… I'm sorry I'm crying too even though I'm a Nobody, but it brings back painful memories when I think of that day. I kept getting punched and kicked when I noticed a mahogany haired girl with blue eyes and her friend with red hair and green eyes saw me. They gasped and ran towards me with the boy putting his arms in front of the girl and I to protect us both while the girl bent down and tried to heal my wounds.

The boy exclaimed, "Leave this boy alone! He's done nothing to you! Why are you picking on him anyway?!"

"He killed our people and he's Moonlight clan. I've heard from my dad that if you're not careful and you travel with them at night, they'll kill you with their moon-based powers and will eat you with their sharp fangs." The group leader shouted.

The girl then explained, "I've heard about the Moonlight clan, but I never heard of them hurting humans. They're friends and allies with humans and we should honor that alliance and anyways, the heartless have been killing our people, not the Moonlight clan."

They called her a 'witch' and I wanted to say something but instead…I started to listen and I trusted them before I collapsed out of fatigue and when I woke up I was shirtless on a bed with that same girl and boy that defended me. At first, I was scared of them because I thought they were gonna hurt me just like those other human children but realizing that they were unarmed and that they were the two individuals that saved me… I calmed down and apologized for my behavior. They gave me my shirt and jacket back and gave me human food and drink to eat while I explained what happened to me and where I came from. I told them my name and where I came from as well as why I came to the human world with my remaining family. I cried as I explained about the beating and they told me not to talk about it if it upset me. They introduced themselves as Itor, which was the girl and Lea, who was the boy. They offered to take me home so they did. I introduced them to my parents while Lea and Itor explained what had happened to me. They even offered to teach me how to defend myself if I needed the help and I accepted their tutelage as well as my parent's teachings. After my Grandma Meggera died when I was 10, I was crushed and often spent time alone even if Itor and Lea wanted to help, which I sometimes let them do. When I was 11 and my parents were attacked and killed by the heartless and I found their bodies being carried off by the local scientist of Radiant Garden and his bodyguards … I went home alone and just cried for 3 days. Lea and Itor found me and comforted me and Lea even offered to let me stay with him in his home with his widowed mother…I accepted to the offer and from that day on, I have been living with Lea. The three of us were picked on by the human children but we always stuck together and were the best of friends. We've all been friends for about 19 years and we're all still together but one day when Torxi was forced to leave the Organization for her own safety… Axel and I were devastated until she returned just a few months ago. However there is one thing I regret and wish I knew."

"What is it you wish to know?"

"I want to know if my younger cousin Saim is alive and If I find out he's dead or if I never find out… I will always regret it. It was my fault his parents were killed and he ran away. I was the clan guardian those heartless were looking for. IT'S MY ENTIRE FAULT!"

Saix all of a sudden started to sob his heart out (even though he was a Nobody and had **NO** heart.) Scarlett held him in her arms and ran her left hand up and down his back and ran her right hand through his hair. She placed her chin on his head and rocked him back and forth until she started to sob too. She covered her face with her hands and let go of Saix and once he noticed this, he put his arms tenderly around her and held her tight. She tenderly put her arms around him too and as they started to become fatigued, Saix fell gracefully into his bed, still holding the innocent, teary-eyed woman. He continued to hold her until they both fell asleep.

While Saix slept peacefully, Scarlett woke up and went to the window and sat on the window seat, holding her necklace and looking at the moon while whispering, "Don't you worry Rayna and Saim… I'm gonna find you before that baby arrives. I promise you the heartless won't keep me from my goal."

She then started to cry into her knees until she cried herself to sleep on the window seat…two hours passed before she started to scream at the top of her lungs, clutching her head and throat.

Saix could hear it and exclaimed, "Oh no, she's being exposed to too much moonlight! I've gotta get her away from there."

Saix leapt out of bed, charging at Scarlett and using his back as a shield to protect her from the moonlight. (He knew that if only his neck and face got exposed, it wouldn't matter. He just wanted to protect Scarlett.) He closed the curtains on the windows and carried Scarlett bridal-style to the bed and laid her down on it gently. (Although the moonlight could make an individual from the Moonlight clan impossible to beat during the night, it could also cause more of their pain and could hurt others that are around them.) Saix then laid down beside a trembling, scared Scarlett, who was tossing and turning in her sleep. Saix stroked loose hair strands away from Scarlett's face and even tenderly kissed her on the forehead. (He thought she was very interesting because of her innocence, her beauty, her sacrifice, everything about her mesmerized him. He loved her and had loved her since childhood. He's now realizing that he's becoming more like Axel and Torxi each second he's with Scarlett.) He continued to watch over her until she calmed down.

She looked at Saix and asked, "What happened to me? Did I go through a berserker attack? Oh gosh, I'm so sorry…I couldn't control myself!"

"Just go back to bed, Scar. You'll need your sleep before you talk to Axel and Torxi tomorrow."

"Right, sorry."

"Don't worry your pretty head off… you're fine! You'll be alright."

The two of them went back to sleep so they would be prepared to hang out with Torxi and Axel tomorrow while Zexion and Demyx worked together to search for Crystal and Violet before the heartless got to them first.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Scarlett's Discovery**

The next day, Saix took Scarlett to Axel and Torxi after he explained to the couple about what they should do to convince Scarlett that they weren't evil. Scarlett wanted to talk to Torxi first to get it over with, (since they were both girls and if anything happened between the two of them, Scarlett could knock her out without having to worry about a man hitting her, even though she could take a hit from anyone, of course). Torxi took Scarlett to the room she once stayed in at Castle Oblivion during her safety exile from the Organization.

Torxi sat down and exclaimed, "So, how have you been Scarlett? How do you feel now?... hey, what's wrong?"

Scarlett stared at Torxi in disgust and shouted, "Just because you're Saix's friend doesn't mean you've convinced me you're not evil."

"Evil?! What are you talking about?"

"Your people stoned, ridiculed, and hurt Saix, my sister, my brother-in-law, and I! You don't know what it's like to be bullied like that because you are a bully along with your husband just like them!" At this point, Scarlett was in tears.

Meanwhile, Axel and Saix were listening from behind the wall of the room, hearing everything. Torxi put her arms around Scarlett and sighed.

She then cried, "I have empathy for you because I do know what it's like to be bullied… I was never the bully, I was bullied."

"Really?!"

"Yeah, it still hurts to think about it now but, I'm glad I defended Axel, Saix, and all the other victims that I could defend… all while putting my own life on the line."

"I'm so sorry… I didn't know. Please forgive me, Torxi."

"It's okay, you were just protecting your sister, your brother-in-law, and yourself. You were just fending for yourself, that's all!"

"Just curious… what did they call you?"

"Ugly, witch, fire demon in girl's clothing… they told me I would never raise a family and that Axel should dump me… and it hurt me terribly. However, Saix, Axel, and I… we stuck together and barreled through all the hurt and rage of those that opposed or feared us. That's what real friendship is." Torxi was crying too and Scarlett decided to show the woman some compassion and kindness so; she held Torxi in her arms and apologized for her behavior.

After Torxi had calmed down, she explained, "Did Saix ever tell you about the time Axel and I saved him from 12 human children yet?"

"Yeah, he told me last night but said that he collapsed after you knelt down to help him and when Axel protected both of you. He said that when he woke up, he was at Axel's house on his bed, shirtless and confused."

"Well, Axel and I can tell you what happened after he collapsed and don't worry… we won't ham it up like those kids would!"

That wisecrack made Scarlett and Torxi laugh and after their genuine laughter subsided, Torxi continued her story, "After Saix, or Isa as he was called collapsed… Axel held his arms up defending both of us while I tended to Saix's wounds.

A boy behind me that escaped the corner of Axel's vision went behind me and kicked me to the sidewalk saying, "Hey everybody! I just kicked that red-headed girl in the back! What's the matter? Can't fight back 'cause you're a girl!"

Axel shoved the guy away from us and started a fight with all 6 of the boys while I shouted to the boy that shoved me, "You're gonna regret that later!"

Then, the 6 girls showed up and shouted insults like, 'She's so weak… just like that stupid mother of hers.' 'She's not gonna defend herself if I hit her. Watch this, girls!'

As the girl's hand struck downward to slap me, I stopped it before it could come in contact with my skin.

I then proceeded to twist her wrist until I broke it and shouted, "You really wanna try that with me? Who else wants a piece of me?! Isn't this what you girls wanted or are all of you so scared that you hide behind your ring leader because you're too afraid to take me on yourself?!"

"They wanted to prove that they weren't scared of me so; they tried to fight me. It was an all-girls battle: me against 5 of them.

They shouted. 'We aren't afraid of you… Itor!'

I then exclaimed, "Fine, if you're not afraid of me… then hit me with your best shot! Come on, I'm a sitting duck! HIT ME!"

They threw the 1st punch and it was on and you wanna guess who won?"

"You?"

"That's right… I won! Axel also won his battle against all the boys and then, Axel and I stood side-by-side and as he put his arms in front of Saix and me and shouted, 'Leave us alone and let us take him to my house to be treated of his wounds now or else!'"

"Let's think about this, Lea!... uh no! We're not letting him go free yet! He deserves to be punished for being Moonlight clan!"

Lea still wanted to protect us and after I tried to heal Saix's wounds once again, the same boy that shoved me punched me in the face, causing a bruise to form behind my bangs and a great throbbing in my head after the traumatic impact. Axel shoved him back again and told him to go home, which he agreed to do… but I wasn't finished with him yet.

After he walked away snickering and shouting, "She won't defend herself from my attacks cause she's afraid of me! Ha ha ha! Scared puny red-head! She's weak, I'm strong. I'm right, she's wrong!"

As he walked away, my hand was heating up and I formed an orb of fire in my hand.

Axel warned, "Itor, don't do it! You're gonna get in trouble and you'll get hurt! Itor please, don't!"

"Don't worry, Lea. I got it covered and he deserves it!"

"I threw the fire orb at the boy who hit me and gave him a 2nd degree burn on his left arm, the arm he used to hit me. He screamed in pain as I just smirked at him thinking, 'you deserved what was coming to you!' He screamed at me and that's when I was called a witch for the 1st time in my life. He wanted to fight me 1-on-1 and I won even if he was a boy and I was a girl.

After I beat him he announced, "We'll never leave you, your boyfriend, or that Moonlight clan boy alone! I'm also gonna tell my momma about your powers!"

I shouted, "FINE! Go ahead and tell, I really don't give a care! I told you you'd regret hitting me so; you got what you deserve!" He tried to throw a rock at the three of us so I lit my whole upper body up with fire and screamed, 'GO BACK TO YOUR HOMES AND LEAVE US ALONE…**NOW!** **GO!**"

I threw a ring of fire at them to scare them off and sure enough…they ran off as fast as their little legs could carry them while Axel picked up Saix almost bridal-style and I lead the three of us to his house. We laid Saix on Axel's bed and I took his shirt off to heal the bruises and to clean the dirt from his body, Axel took off his scarf and handed me a bucket of water while he went to the kitchen and got some sea-salt ice cream and water for the boy. When Saix woke up, he picked up his small claymore and waved it at us but, seeing that we wouldn't hurt him and recognizing that we defended him from the bullies… he put down the weapon. Axel gave him his shirt and jacket back and we let him eat ice cream and drink water while he explained to us about what happened to him. He sobbed while he told us so we told him if he didn't wanna talk about it, he didn't have to. We took him to his home and he introduced Axel and I to his Grandma Meggera, mother Isabella, and father Isaac. That's when we offered to be his friends and teach him how to fight off his human bullies. Then about 15 years ago, his grandma became ill and died and 14 years ago… his parents were killed by the heartless so; Axel invited Saix to live with him and his widowed mother, Anna."

"I know how he feels about the death of his parents, the loneliness of having no one to protect and take care of you, and the emotional and physical abuse that the humans gave us both. I know that feeling and now… I'm worried."

"Worried about what?"

"My sister and her husband… they are only safe because they live in hiding in the human world but without me, they'll get tricked by the heartless again and they'll be killed."

"Who are your sister and brother-in-law?"

"My sister's Rayna and my brother-in-law is Saim."

On the other side of the door, Saix felt crushed and sulked to the floor in disbelief.

Axel crouched to the floor with Saix and as Saix exclaimed, "My cousin married Scarlett's little sister? How can this be? But it does answer one question: at least I know he's still alive and well."

"That's a good thing!"

The two girls continued to talk while the boys listened.

"You saved human children from the heartless?"

"Before their parents slapped me in the face, called me scum, and claimed I hurt their child… that's when I stopped doing that. But there was one exception. It happened about 6 years ago. I was in the woods, sharpening my skills when I heard a little girl scream,

'MOMMY!'

Her mother followed the thieving heartless, screaming, 'Give her back, you wretched creature!'

The heartless knocked the mother down and started to run off with the girl. In instinct, I pulled out my dagger, slicing the heartless before he could get away. I turned to the girl and she whimpered and curled up in fear.

I told her soothingly, 'It's alright, I won't harm you child… I may be a Moonlight clan warrior, but I don't hurt humans; only heartless.'

Realizing that I saved her… she calmed down, wrapping her arms around my waist, thanking me for saving her life and her mother's. Her mother ran up, with the girl running into her arms…

I waited for the slap in the face but her mother came up and hugged me, whispering, 'Thanks for saving my daughter Bridget. You really saved us back there.'

'Really… you're not gonna slap me in the face as gratitude for my heroic act?'

'No, of course not… Sorry, I'm being rude. My name is Delores.'

'My name is Scarlett…Your daughter was being taken by heartless… Why?'

'It's because she's half-Moonlight clan and half-Mortal clan. The heartless believe that she's a clan princess or a keyblade wielder.'

'Oh, well now that you're safe… I shall be off.'

She stopped me and exclaimed, 'Hold on a minute… let me repay you with a favor.'

'You don't need to pay me anything…. It was a heroic act, nothing more.'

'But I have to show you my kindness in some way… pardon me asking but, do you have a place to stay here in town?'

'My sister, brother-in-law, and I travel from house to house if we can find a place to stay.'

'Then stay in my house as my act of gratitude… stay as long as you need to.'

'You're giving me a place to stay and you're not joking?!'

'Nope… of course I'm not joking.' 'Okay… then my family and I will stay with you.'

That's when I learned that she was once married to a Moonlight clan warrior from the Northern village where I was from named Liulfer, but he died protecting his family from heartless when Bridget was 4. I also learned that Delores was part Moonlight clan on her mother's side and Bridget was turning 10 in a few weeks so, I made her rite of passage earrings for her Moonlight clan ritual tests to symbolize that she was a warrior for the clan. At first, Delores was against it but with my persuasion and guidance… she accepted the fact that her daughter needed this chance to get closer to her dad's heritage and her own. Bridget is now 16 and is traveling with Rayna and Saim. She's also completed her tests and is a full-alleged Moonlight clan warrior."

"That's cool that she's a warrior but I'm worried that she may be killed. Scarlett, what if she gets hurt?! You'll be held responsible!"

"…I saw great potential in her when I first saw her and learned of her heritage. She's been well trained by yours truly and I'm sure that she'll be fine. Trust me… she'll do great things on the battlefield. That I promise!"

"That's good to know."

After a couple hours, Scarlett and Torxi came out of the bedroom, laughing and smiling.

Axel was ready to talk to the girl when she exclaimed, "There's no need to speak to Axel now. I understand about what happened to you, Torxi, and Saix and I now see that bond of friendship still holds together even after 21 years for Axel and 13 years for Saix. I'm sorry for the way I treated you and I hope you can forgive me but now, we must focus on finding Crystal and Violet before the heartless do because if we don't they'll have their powers taken and will be killed."

The group agreed and went back to Saix's room to talk. On the way, Saix announced, "Scarlett, you said your brother-in-law's name was Saim… right!?"

"Yes, his name is Saim. Would you like to see a picture of him?"

"Yes please."

Scarlett took a photo of the brother-in-law from her waist pouch and handed it to Saix, who looked at the picture in shock.

"What's wrong, Saix?"

"This person is familiar to me."

"In what way?"

"Saim's my …cousin."

"Well, if he's your cousin… then I have a strange feeling that the two of us were meant to be together since the age of 5." The two went inside Saix's room and then during the night, Axel and Torxi went back to her room to sleep.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Princess Belladonna's Arrival/ Joining the Thorn Army**

Meanwhile back at the Thorn Army's camp on the 12th floor of Castle Oblivion… Marluxia and Larxene were helping Rosianna with passing out weapons. After the two finished that, 5 strange young women came into the 12th floor.

One of the women sarcastically exclaimed, "Thanks for getting us out of those jail cells 5 years too late! I'm a princess and I should be treated like one!"

Katie announced, "You're not a princess… you're a petty, self-absorbed, prissy, bratty, thin, perfect-like tyrant! That's what you really are… Princess Belladonna!"

"Why you little witch I'm going to!..."

Marluxia grabbed Belladonna's arm before she could hit Katie. "You better calm yourself or else I'll do it for you!" Belladonna was a thin young woman with long, light, rose-pink hair, blue eyes, a medium-length pink ballet dress with a green corset embroidered with red roses, pink ballet slippers, a pearl necklace, a small tiara, a royal ring, and her Rose clan emblem necklace.

"Lumaria, how wonderful it is to see my fiancé once more! So, when are we getting married, darling?"

"I'll **NEVER **marry you because of what you want me to be and what you really are. You're a greedy, selfish brat… just like your mother, Queen Rosa!"

"I'm nothing like my mother and anyway… I've changed just for you."

"You haven't changed… you're still a brat just like you were 15 years ago. I'm not marrying you and that's final. In fact… I already have a fiancé: a human girl to be exact! She loves me just the way I am and I love her just the same. You really need to find another man, Belladonna."

"I refuse to find another man and why would you want to marry that blonde-haired, human filth?! Honestly Lumaria… I thought you were better than this but… I guess I was wrong."

Larxene had had enough so she stepped in, "Maybe you need to take a good long look at yourself, Belladonna because I see someone who's just jealous because I'm the one who really loves Lumaria while you only want him so you can show off to all the other girls in the village. He was only supposed to marry you because his father threatened to beat his mother to the point of death if he refused and his father and your mother set up the wedding. IT WAS AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE! ARE YOU REALLY THAT STUPID!? AND WHY WAS IT AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE?... YOU WEREN'T ALLOWED TO CHOOSE YOUR SPOUSE…. YOUR PARENTS CHOSE THEM FOR YOU WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT! Also, I am engaged to him. The proof that we love each other is in this ring." Larxene took off her silk, black glove on her left hand and revealed a shiny, gold, diamond engagement ring.

"I know that it was an arranged marriage but, I really loved him. Anyway, I don't understand why you would defend that mother of yours when she disobeyed my mother many years ago after she knew that she wasn't supposed to be an archer even if she was a female!"

Rosianna became frustrated and slammed her fists into her desk, exclaiming, "If she hadn't fought with my father Jacobi and the other warriors… then you, the village, and I would all be dead! You're the one person the people looked to for guidance and aid but when your people needed you, were you there to save them? **NO!** You're the one person who brought her kingdom to the ground and why?... because you had to act like your mother who cared about no one but herself while your father King Charles cared about his people and sacrificed himself to save everyone including you and your servants' phony butts so that you'd still be alive!"

Rosianna still continued, "I WAS THE ONE THAT SAVED THESE PEOPLE FROM DEATH AND I WAS THE ONE WHO RESCUED THEM FROM THOSE JAIL CELLS! NOT YOU…**ME!**...And now that your kingdom's a wreck, let's see if your people will still obey you and not me."

"You there, boy! Pitch up my tent and carry my stuff."

No one helped her and she stood there. "I said… PITCH UP MY TENT AND CARRY MY STUFF NOW! I COMMAND YOU, BOY!"

"Excuse me, Luke darling."

"Yes, Rosianna."

"Could you kindly pitch up Belladonna's tent and carry her stuff, please?"

"Right away, dear."

Luke grabbed Belladonna's things and pitched up her tent. Belladonna looked with scorn on Rosianna and the captain just exclaimed, "You're welcome!... Do you now see what you've done to your own people? You don't control us anymore, Belladonna. You've lost our trust so; we control you."

"I still have control over some people… you human filth girl, I command you to take that engagement ring off right now!"

Larxene covered her hand and shouted, "You're not the boss of me! I will marry Lumaria and there's nothing you're gonna do about it!"

"I SAID TAKE IT OFF NOW!"

"Why don't you come over here and make me… unless you're scared!"

"I'm not scared and I've had just about enough of you!... Fine, if you won't take it off… then I'll just have to take it from you myself!"

Belladonna started for the ring so; Larxene pushed her back defensively. Then Belladonna grabbed Larxene's hair and reached for the ring once more so; Larxene pried Belladonna's hand away and once the princess punched her purposely… Larxene socked Belladonna in the nose and threw her to the floor, smacking at the woman while she climbed on top of her. It took Marluxia, Rosianna, and Belladonna's servants five minutes to pull the two girls apart.

By the time the fist-fight was over… Larxene had a cut above her left eye and Belladonna was bleeding from her nose and had many bruises.

Larxene clung to Marluxia and he exclaimed, "I didn't think that you would go this far! You've gone overboard this time, Belladonna. At one point in time, I actually felt sorry for you but now… I feel nothing for you! If you really cared about your people like you claim… then join the Thorn Army and redeem yourself! Why don't you avenge the lives that have been lost in this war?!… otherwise, be a brat and a coward your whole life just like your mother!"

Rosianna then came up to Belladonna, "You think you can get away with this just because you're a princess? Your kingdom's now a disaster area so, congratulations because it's your fault it's like this. But you stride up into my war camp and tell me that you deserve better treatment when you've treated everyone here like they're nothing! I got something to say to you and you better listen closely for once: Grow up because you're not a little girl anymore. You're a young woman. You need some serious help and if you won't accept it from me… then who will you accept it from?! I've got an army to run so… go back to your tent and stay out of my way."

Belladonna's personal advisor, Bree (who had light, pink hair wrapped in a bun and blue eyes underneath huge, brown glasses who also wore a grass-green robe and a small hat with the Rose clan emblem on it), 2 maids Madeline (who had short, dark pink hair and blue eyes, and who both wore French maid-looking outfits.) and Suzy (who had light, rose-pink hair and blue eyes), and servant Sophie (who had light, pink hair and blue eyes who wore a pink and red dress with a green sash and who also resembled a Ms. America Pageant winner) carried the injured princess to her tent. They laid her down on some blankets and Bree tended to the wounds while the other girls watched. After Belladonna had been healed, she thought about what Marluxia, Rosianna, and even Larxene said to her and as the phrases,

'Grow up because you're not a little girl anymore.' and 'If you really cared about your people like you claim… then join the Thorn Army and redeem yourself! Why don't you avenge the lives that have been lost in this war?!… otherwise, be a brat and a coward your whole life just like your mother!' played back through her mind…

Belladonna announced, "I really did break my kingdom apart… didn't I, Bree?"

"Well, the kingdom did fall apart but I don't think…"

"OH! JUST ADMIT IT!"

"Fine, young miss… it was your fault."

"THANK YOU!... there is only one way I can redeem myself once and for all and that is to join the army but, you girls will worry about me. Well, I only have one skill that I want to redeem and that's with the Rose Blade… which is probably gone forever after that village raid… Oh, what to do? What to do?"

"What will you decide, milady?"

"… I choose to join the army because I refuse to be like my mother, who was greedy and selfish. She was a bad queen and look what happened to these people because of it. Look, even your own sons and daughters had to suffer through the pain and loss of this war. Right now, joining the war is my only chance to make things right and I intend to do it, no matter what!"

Madeline stood up and exclaimed, "Milady… you know that once you join, there's no going back."

"You really don't have to do this if you don't want to." Suzy chimed in.

"No… I want to do this because girls… I think I'm ready. My father knew this was what I loved so, he tried to train me but after my mother started controlling us… I've never told anyone this but…I would secretly practice in the morning before she woke up and I still had enough time to bathe and get back in my bedroom before she checked on me. It was almost like she never knew I was going against her rules. When I fight with a sword… I feel so free…. Ladies, this isn't what someone's making me do because this time… this is something I want to do."

The girls agreed to help her get into the army and she went back to the desk to ask for Rosianna's approval and forgiveness. Rosianna was going over some lists with her family when Belladonna approached the desk.

Katie put her arms up like a wall and shouted, "I'm not letting you through to hurt my family unless you want me to personally knock your lights out!"

"I'm not here to beat anyone up… I'm here to apologize and to ask for a favor."

Rosianna asked Katie to step aside and let Belladonna approach her. "If you're asking us to do some 'princess-like' favor for you, let me tell you something… we're not doing it and another thing-"

"JUST HEAR ME OUT!... please."

"…Fine, What do you want? I'm very busy as you can see."

"It'll only take a few minutes… and then I'll leave you and your family alone."

"Speak."

"I'm really sorry for the way I've treated all of you in the past, I'm sorry for the war, I'm sorry for how these people have to live because of my mother and I, I'm just sorry for everything. I know I've been a brat to you, Rosianna but in reality… I was jealous of you because you had the courage and strength to stand up to your own mother and step-father whereas I was a coward and obeyed my controlling mother… To repay for all of my past mistakes and to take advantage of Lumaria's advice, I'd like to join the Thorn Army."

The family and other warriors stopped what they were doing and looked at her, stunned. "Are you being serious about this because if this is a joke Belladonna I will personally-"

"This is no joke I assure you, Rosianna. I'm doing this to avenge my father and the other lives that were lost in the war as well as redeem myself. This is something nobody's forcing me to do because this is what I want to do… if you'll have me."

Rosianna called her family into a circle and whispered until she announced, "Alright Belladonna… with the consent of my family and I; you are allowed to join the Thorn Army!... My question is this: What weapon can you wield?"

"I only have one skill and that's with a blade, a sword to be exact! My father wanted me to wield the Rose Blade but, it was probably lost in the village raid."

Bree, Madeline, Suzy, and Sophie approached the desk with a female knight's uniform and a long, wooden box. Bree exclaimed, "I was able to save the Rose Blade before the heartless got it. This is the legendary sword that your father wanted you to wield and now… it's yours."

Belladonna opened the box and held up the blade, which shone like a diamond in the sun and an orb with a glowing, red rose inside of it laid on top of the hilt.

Then Rosianna announced, "However, I won't allow you to wear that royal clothing on the battlefield. Your royal ring and emblem necklace may stay but everything else has to go."

Madeline handed Belladonna the uniform and explained, "This belonged to your most recent ancestor, Princess Stacia when she wielded the Rose Blade. You may wear this uniform to symbolize your family honor."

Belladonna went inside her tent and changed into the uniform. When she was finished, she was wearing a short sleeved (very) short sea green dress with a hot pink rose petal skirt, silver armor, long brown gloves, green knee-high boots, and a small hot pink ribbon that tied her long hair half up- half down. Rosianna then explained that if she wanted to be taught to use the Rose Blade properly, she'd have to speak to Prince Logan of the Northern Rose clan kingdom.

She and Bree went to the northern camp and went inside Logan's tent after being approved by his bodyguards. Belladonna bowed down before the prince and explained, "Noble Prince Logan of the Northern Rose clan kingdom, I am Princess Belladonna, Monarch of the Eastern Rose clan kingdom. I have come with my most trusted advisor, Bree to ask you if you would teach me the skills of the Rose Blade since I have forgotten how to use it properly. If you think I will be a burden to you… I will leave you but if you don't… I ask kindly that you teach me. I promise to train hard around you and I won't give up easily."

The prince stood up, looked at Belladonna, and then announced, "Arise Princess Belladonna. I will teach you the skills of the Rose Blade since I can see it in your eyes and hear it in your voice that this is what you want to do. We'll start training tomorrow morning so get some rest… One more thing Belladonna!"

"Yes, Master Logan."

"Welcome to the army and… you can just call me Logan."

As soon as Belladonna and Bree left the tent and walked back to their own, Belladonna squealed with excitement and exclaimed, "I'm gonna learn how to wield the Rose Blade and with a hot, cute teacher!" She remembered the way he looked: The shoulder-length pink hair, the bright blue eyes, the white smile, the large muscles, everything about him to her was appealing. (In a way, she felt safe around him.)


	23. Chapter 23

** Chapter 23: Violet's Found and Zexion's Struggles with the Past**

The next day, when Zexion and Demyx set out to find Violet and Crystal, they found a girl, one of the princesses to be exact in a Twilight Town bookstore. (Of course it was Violet, because she was reading and the pair knew she was in love with books. She was also drinking either coffee or herbal tea while she read.) Zexion stared at her with loving eyes. (He thought she was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen.) She had shoulder-length violet hair that was down and had bangs that framed her face, fair skin, and of course violet eyes. She also had neon purple eye shadow on and long, neon purple finger nails. She was wearing black combat boots, light and dark purple striped knee socks, and a soft, over-sized, lilac sweater dress. She also wore a small, red, book-like, Wizard clan emblem necklace (much like the one Zexion hid from people) and two jeweled rings on her right ring finger. One fact about this girl was that In the wizard clan villages, she was known simply as a traveling wizard known as 'The Silent Violet,' but to humans, she was known as Violet.

To get Zexion's attention, Demyx snapped his fingers and shouted,

"Hello! Remember what we came here for, Zexion!"

"Sorry, Demyx."

"Stop your staring: It's creeping me out!… just go talk to the girl so we can go back to the castle."

She was reading the ancient text when Zexion tapped her shoulder and asked, "Excuse me, miss?"

"Yes, sir?"

"My name is Zexion and this is my comrade Demyx. We're part of a group called 'Organization XIII' and we'd like to ask you some questions."

"Ok, ask away."

"Is your name Violet and do you have an older sister named Fortune-teller Destiny?"

"Yes."

"Were you born in the 'byn av magi' and did you know a boy there named Ienzo?"

"Yes, I was born there and Ienzo was my best friend… Why?... Who are you really and how do you know me?!"

"… I ask because I'm Ienzo. I just go by another name. I also guard your sister with my comrades at our fortress and if you come with us… you can see her again."

Violet ran into Zexion's arms and agreed to go with them. She grabbed her satchel and book and went with them into a dark corridor, which led them back to Castle Oblivion. Once they got back, Destiny was so overjoyed to see her beloved sister again. Destiny also explained that Crystal was the 4th and final princess they had to search for. All of the members except for Marluxia and Larxene didn't like her. (They didn't seem to trust her even though Torxi and Zexion claimed she was safe.)

Zexion talked to Violet and even asked her about her foresight abilities and when she started to show him, Marluxia and Larxene pulled him away.

" I don't trust her, Zexion. She could possess you to be her slave and anyway, how do you know she won't put us all in danger just like the 'Wizard that became evil'? She's different Zexion and you shouldn't be around her!"

Marluxia announced. "I know she won't harm us because she's an old friend and she's a clan princess. She won't hurt you unless you do her any harm in other words… If I find out that you harmed her or tried to get rid of her, I will personally dispose of you both!"

As he walked back to the chair he was originally sitting in, Larxene yanked him back and exclaimed, "I wouldn't look into her eyes, Zexion. I heard that if you look into a witch's eyes, they show you horrible, nightmare-like visions or they possess you and treat your possessed body like a marionette puppet. I wouldn't trust her, Zexion! I just wouldn't trust her kind!"

"HER KIND!?...SHE AND I COME FROM THE SAME CLAN, SAME VILLAGE, AND WE POSSESS THE SAME POWERS AND ABILITIES! SHE'S NOT A WITCH FOR YOUR INFORMATION, SHE'S A WIZARD AND SO AM I! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU TWO TELL ME! SHE PROBABLY COULDN'T GET ME TO RAISE MY RIGHT HAND IF SHE TRIED. I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU PEOPLE PICKING ON MY CLAN AND I JUST BECAUSE OF THAT EVIL WIZARD THAT WIPED OUT THE BLACK-WING CLAN! JUST LEAVE ME AND MY FRIEND ALONE OR ELSE!" After he stormed off and went back to talking to Violet, Marluxia and Larxene just looked at each other, stunned that he stood up for himself against the two of them.

He sulked in the chair, angry and upset. Violet asked, "Wh-What's wrong, Zexion? You can tell me."

"It's my friends… they don't trust you because you have foresight abilities."

"Oh I see… d-do you still want to see my foresight skills or sh-should I just drop it?"

"NO! Don't… I still want to see your skills. I want to see if yours comes close to your sister's or even Torxi's."

"Ok, here goes… look me deeply in the eyes and only concentrate on my eyes… Now, hold my hands…keep it steady…"

As Zexion looked into her eyes and grasped her hands tenderly, he saw her eyes glow neon purple with a witch symbol in the pupil and also felt a great power surge within him and along with that power came a clear, horrible vision. The vision showed him at 8 years old, watching his parents sacrifice their powers to save him. Then it showed him in Radiant Garden after he escaped the village raid, crying over the death of his parents and Vexen finding and raising him as an apprentice. All too soon, the vision disappeared and Zexion fell out of the chair, sulking to the floor and almost bursting into tears. He struggled to get to his feet when Violet helped him up.

He then pointed at her and stuttered, "Wh-What did you show m-m-me and h-h-how did you d-d-do that!?"

Violet looked away from him and explained, "Y-you should've known what you saw. They were fragments of your m-memories…. memories from your childhood when you were 8 years old. Oh, you also asked how I did it well you see… wh-when I touched your hands, your presence showed you and I visions of your memories."

"Presence?! I don't understand."

"Oh, I'm sorry… I meant I sensed your 'aura' and your visions were revealed to me."

"That's funny; because your sister reveals visions on command when she looks in that crystal ball of hers… can your visions be controlled?"

Violet looked away from him again and almost cried. He knelt down in front of her and cupped her face in his left hand.

She grasped his warm, soothing hand and exclaimed, "Unfortunately, my visions cannot be controlled and they don't come to me at will… they appear to me after I come in contact with someone's aura or if I'm asleep…Do you want to know what your aura shows?"

"What does it show?"

"Your aura shows pain, sorrow… sadness and anger that could turn into greed and a need for revenge… You are angry and sad because you feel the heartless deprived you of something as they did to Destiny and I… they took your parents from you and killed them after your parents sacrificed their wizard powers to save you and to help you escape. Your wizard powers are very strong indeed but… it's because of your parents that they surpass my sister's and even mine."

"But, how did you know that?!"

"I knew because I sensed your aura and because I saw the vision that my sister had about what would happen to you. That's why she asked your parents to see her months before the actual village raid so that they could make a choice: Die so that you could live or live so that you all could die together. I know that after they died, your necklace's power died down and you just knew that they had passed away. You sobbed because you were in denial of what had happened to them… and you continued to do so until a human scientist found you and raised you after his daughter was gone. His name was Even I believe… or does he go by another name?"

"Yes, his new name now is Vexen and…. WAIT A MINUTE!... he had a daughter?"

"And a wife way before you came to the human world… the girl's name is Crystal and the mom was Sapphire. Crystal is the next Ice Princess and Sapphire was the Snow Queen, while Vexen was the Frost King. Crystal is also the clan princess of the Frost clan and a man named Demyx is the clan guardian of the Aqua clan. The Aqua and Frost clan have had a strong alliance since the dawn of time so if they were to marry… their clan would still be in that alliance."

"So, if Vexen had a kid… that would make me her…"

"It would make you somewhat of a brother to her. If you two aren't related by blood, then by love."

"But, how will I know about her if I gotta search for her with Demyx? How did you know that much about him?!"

"I can sense aura when I touch one's hands or feel the earth below me however, I knew all of that because of my own lexicon."

Violet pulled out the large red book of hers (which was almost identical to Zexion's except for its crimson color). She continued, "I tend to have a habit of reading large amounts of literature so, I remembered a lot of the information I read. Also, you'll know it's her once you sense her aura. All wizards have that ability but, you and I have the strongest aura-sensing abilities."

Zexion got up and hugged Violet, exclaiming, "Thanks for telling me everything. You want to know something?"

"What?"

"You're very smart. You're very smart indeed… and beautiful too."

Violet blushed and explained, "You'd be the first one in 16 years that's said that to me… but thank you."

"You're welcome… I've gotta go but you may sleep in my chambers which is right over there. Goodnight, Violet."

"Goodnight, Zexion."

Violet walked off to the bedroom, blushing and she shut the door behind her. Then Zexion whispered, "I love you." after she had left. He continued to walk until Marluxia whispered to him to come with him to his bedroom. (They were about to have a meeting…about Violet.) Everyone took their places and sat down as Marluxia started the meeting.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: Marluxia and Zexion's Challenge/ Violet's Test of Loyalty**

Marluxia announced, "Settle down ladies and gentlemen… the meeting's about to start… Thank you. I know that we have found 3 of our 4 clan princesses and I'm very happy for that however… can we trust Violet, this girl who may be Destiny's little sister but is a cold-blooded, evil, weird, and different wizard women? She could turn on us and possess us just like the 'Evil Wizard' did when he wiped out the Black-wing clan!" "No she wouldn't! Marluxia, I beg of you that you give my clan another chance… after all, we gave Saix's clan and your clan a chance and we even tested Rosianna and Scarlett to make sure they were loyal to us. We should test Violet too because it would be fair to her and to the clan and I."

"No, we won't test her! She's leaving this castle and that's final!"

"You wanna try to get rid of her?! That's it… someone's gonna die tonight!"

"Bring it on, book-worm boy!"

Marluxia and Zexion were about to engage in a street-brawl type of fist-fight when Torxi, Axel, and Saix got up to break the two of them up.

Zexion then explained, "The girl claims that she has a habit of reading large amounts of material and she said that she has remembered all that she read. We could test her knowledge."

Larxene then shouted, "I have an idea for a test!... no, now that I think about it… it's stupid. Never mind!"

Torxi inquired, "No, what were you going to say Larxene?"

"Well, we could…"

"Yes, we could… we could what?"

"We could test her knowledge on how well she knows about her ancestor Viola. If she really is a clan princess, she wouldn't need to look at any book since Viola is a part of her. What do you think? Pretty smart, huh?!"

Torxi pondered the idea and explained, "Larxene does have a point there. If she is a clan princess, she wouldn't need to look at a book. She would already know the answers… if you wanna make sure she's not using her powers and that her answers are correct… I can keep my hand on her shoulder and I'll know if she's cheating or lying… Marluxia, we should at least test her to be fair. We made Rosianna read and translate ancient battle strategy scrolls from the Rose Clan and we made Scarlett read an ancient scroll that her ancestor Salvia wrote and then made her remember the information. Let's not forget that you made me read and translate an ancient message that my ancestor Veronica wrote before she and Alexander died. We gotta try something."

"Fine, she can stay… for now!"

"No, that's not the deal I'm gonna make you, Marluxia… If she passes, she stays and you and Larxene must stop shunning her from the group. She's of my clan and she's a clan princess. If she fails… then she still stays but you can't kill her or send her away… all you can do is imprison her in the basements of Castle Oblivion. That is my one and only offer!... Is it a deal?"

"Fine, it's a deal… I accept your challenge!"

The two shook on it and went to bed. Zexion walked back to the room, ruffling Violet's hair as she slept and as he bent down to kiss her goodnight, he whispered, "Good luck on your test tomorrow… you'll need it, Violet… jag lskar dig (I love you)."

Violet fluttered her eyes open and smiled at Zexion and whispered, "Jag lskar dig." back at him, before going back to sleep.

The next day, Zexion explained to Violet about the test, told her the rules, and explained about what would happen if she won or lost. She explained, "Don't worry, Zexion. I'll pass this test. I will **NOT **lose." They entered the room and asked Violet to take a seat. Zexion summoned his lexicon (with the questions and answers inside it), while Torxi put her right hand on Violet's shoulder. Marluxia welcomed Violet to the test and asked her to not use her powers during the duration of the test. She agreed to his demands and asked if she could start the verbal test.

Zexion started with the first question, "What is the name of your ancestor?"

"Viola."

"Where was she born and who were her parents?"

"She was born on October 24 in a small village home and she was the daughter of wizards Rafael and Katia."

"Those three were just simple questions that anyone could get… I will warn you that the next few questions will get harder and harder."

"I'd like to continue, please."

"Very well…How old was she when she joined the alliance with the other 7 clan princesses and guardians?"

"All of the members were 16… except for her. She was 15."

"After the four year long war… did she marry and if so how many children did she have?"

"She married a 7 clan guardian of her own clan named Zachiel and she had three kids: 2 boys and one girl. The girl was the youngest and her name was Mirana. The first-born twin boy was Landon and the youngest twin was Jaime."

"Did any of her children marry and have children of their own?"

"Yes, Mirana married another wizard named Joseph and they had only one kid: a daughter named Anali. Jaime married a woman who couldn't have children but instead, they adopted orphans and they found two: a brother and sister. The girl was Maria and the son was Manuel. Finally, Landon married a young half human half wizard clan girl named Olivia and they had four children together: 2 twin girls and 2 twin boys. The oldest girl was Frederica and the youngest was Aryan. The oldest boy was Timothy and the youngest was Peter…check it if you don't believe me."

"Moving on… who was the only grandchild of Viola and Zachiel that ended up being my great-grandmother and your great-grandmother?"

"Frederica was your great-grandmother and Anali was my great-grandmother. Your grandmother was Frederica's only child: her daughter, Marylynn, while my grandmother was Anali's daughter out of her two children: her daughter Christina. Her son was named Tony and he was my great uncle."

"Finally… were all of your ancestors illusionist wizards like you or not?"

"All of your ancestors and mine were illusionist wizards like us except for Olivia, Frederica, Peter, and Tony. They were half human fore-sight wizards just like my older sister Destiny."

"Thank you for your time, Violet. We'll go over the results of the tests and we'll let you know if you passed or failed. You may go back to my chambers and wait for me there."

"Thank you, Zexion. You were a great test giver… goodbye." Violet walked off.

As soon as was out of earshot, Marluxia exclaimed, "I can't believe she walks in here, so arrogant and confident… what do the results show, Torxi? Was she using any magic?"

"No!"

"Did she pass or not!?"

"She passed… she answered all 8 of the questions correctly and perfectly. I've never seen someone give a confident answer… and without moving an inch of their body. That's just extraordinary."

Zexion then stepped forward and explained, "You lost the bet, Marluxia. She stays here with us and you and Larxene are not to shun her or dispose of her… understand?!"

"Yeah, I got the concept, Zexion!"

Zexion walked out of the room and went to Violet. "What did they say, Zexion?"

"They said… that you passed the test. Congratulations!"

"Oh my gosh… and here I thought that I would be locked up again… just like the jail cells the heartless put my friends and I in."

"I'm so sorry… but now, you'll stay with us and Marluxia and Larxene will not ever shun or try to kill you."

"I understand… but now, we gotta look for Crystal, the final princess before the heartless get her."

"I think you should get some rest after that test… unless you'd rather do something else."

"If you want…"

"Just curious… how did you know the answers to those questions if you couldn't use your powers?"

"I controlled them with your help. I remembered the information from my lexicon and an old Wizard clan book I read and relied solely on my memory to help me."

"So you did control your powers?"

"Right!"

"But, how did I help?"

"You helped because deep down in my heart… ever since we were young children… I have always passionately and truly loved you. Your love for me helped me succeed."

Zexion then cupped her face in his hands and whispered in her ear, "I have always loved you too." The two then kissed passionately until they fell asleep in each other's arms.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: Final Princess Found and Crystal's Broken Memories**

After a couple of days turned to weeks… Demyx, Zexion, and now Violet had found Crystal: the final clan princess. The girl had fair skin and pale blue-green eyes. She had shoulder-length ashy blonde hair that was down and wrapped a few inches from the end with two braided pieces of it wrapped in lilac bands that framed her face and pale pink lips. She was wearing a small tiara made of blue crystals, a short, baby blue dress with white fur trim (with a baby blue white fur-lined hood attached to the back of the dress), a large, brown brooch in the center of the dress with the Frost clan emblem on it, brown furry Aqua clan boots with white fur trim (that she modified and programmed to turn into tall ice-skates in battle), thin white winter gloves and a delicate blue crystal on a chain around her neck.

She entered the Organization being shy and not knowing where she was however, she knew that she could trust these people since she sensed their presence and saw their actions with her keen eyes. She met with Destiny and she was happy to announce that all clan princesses and guardians were found and were safe in the castle until the chosen day for battle approached them, (which Destiny knew would be very soon). Zexion had spoken to Vexen about his past days before the search and had asked Vexen to see Crystal once she had been found.

Vexen approached the young woman and introduced himself, "Hello, Crystal. My name is Vexen and I'm so happy you're safe in here. It's very nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too… wait a minute, how do you know my name? Do I know you from somewhere?"

"You should… you're my long-lost daughter… I'm your father, Even but you may call me Vexen. I know you may be confused at the moment but, we haven't seen each other in 20 years so it's okay if you feel awkward."

Crystal backed away from Vexen as he tried to hug her and exclaimed, "I don't want you touching me… this doesn't feel right! I don't remember my parents or my childhood from when I was 4 and a half years old. I'm sorry sir… but I think you've made a mistake. I don't think I'm your daughter."

"If you just give me a chance, I can prove to you that I'm…"

"Just leave me alone!" Crystal ran off to Demyx's room, crying. Vexen punched the wall in a rage and then stumbled to his room, angry and upset. Zexion had seen what had happened and followed him to Vexen's room. Vexen threw himself into his bed and began to weep. Zexion strolled in and sat on the bed, putting his hand on Vexen's shoulder. He talked soothingly to the old man and even stroked his head.

At once, Vexen lifted his head up and as he tried to explain about what happened, Zexion replied as he dried Vexen's tears, "I know what happened. I saw everything and I'm sorry she doesn't remember. If you want… I can request Torxi, Axel, Violet, and Namine's help on the matter."

"Thank you, Zexion. That's very kind of you."

"I'd do anything to repay the debt I owe you."

"What debt?"

"You raising me as a child is a debt I wish to pay back willingly. I'll be back in a few minutes… just wait right here."

Zexion walked off and asked Violet to come with him. He came to a plain white door and knocked on it. Torxi answered and she, Axel, Namine, Roxas, and Xion were inside. They let the 2 wizards in and let Zexion explain his need for their help. Torxi agreed to help and asked Namine to tap into Crystal's memories and commanded Zexion to get Vexen.

Once everyone that was allowed were in Torxi's room, Namine found something strange in the girl's memories and explained, "The heartless have damaged her memories. She has lost many of her childhood memories and I can see that the chain that links her memories together have been broken. Luckily, I'm a witch that can rearrange memories and with Vexen and the rest of you guys' help; I may be able to repair and restore her damaged memories."

Violet and Torxi saw a vision of the past and as Torxi and Violet collapsed and Zexion and Axel caught them, Violet exclaimed, "Crystal… was hit in the head by hilt… of …p-p-poison blade."

Torxi then whispered, "The attack happened when she was f-f-fourteen…It traumatized her and seriously… d-d-damaged her memories and her chain of memories."

Vexen then sprung up from the floor and exclaimed, "Then that's just it! Her memories are only temporarily gone because of a traumatic blow to her head. All Namine has to do is repair the memories and she'll remember everything."

"It's not gonna be that easy, Vexen."

"Why not, Namine? All you gotta do is rearrange her memories with that sketch book of yours and she's herself again."

"No, unfortunately… Torxi may have to heal some of the damage with Cura before I can rearrange anything… otherwise, I'll cause more damage and eventually, I could give her brain damage and she'll die."

Zexion pondered and explained, "Well, we gotta get Crystal to come to us so that Torxi can heal her. I could go with Axel, Violet, Torxi, and Vexen back to his room, bring Crystal to his room myself, and then have Torxi use Cura there. Then Violet could leave as soon as Torxi's done and tell Namine to start her process. Once that's done, we need to get them to do something together so that she'll remember him… but what?"

Everyone thought until Violet exclaimed, "I have an idea!... they could always hold hands and once she realizes it's him… she'll eventually hug him."

"That may not be a bad idea… it may work!... that's our plan… agreed?"

"AGREED!"

"Now, I'll go get Crystal, you guys go back to Vexen's room, and Roxas… Xion."

"Yes, Zexion?"

"You two stay with Namine."

"RIGHT!" Zexion went to Demyx's room to get Crystal, she came without a fuss, but she was nervous because she didn't know where the strange man was taking her. He led her to Vexen's room and as she turned to leave, she realized she was being rude so; she sat down but stayed silent. Torxi asked her to stay still while she performed a healing procedure on her head after she claimed she knew about the attack that Crystal went through as a teenager. Crystal agreed to it and let Torxi do her work. Torxi used Cura on Crystal and the young woman slowly felt a sharp pain in her head magically disappear. She thanked Torxi for relieving the pain and once the procedure was finished, Violet gave Namine the signal to start her process. Namine worked performed hard, without hesitation. (She wanted to impress Torxi with her skills and show every one of the Organization members that she was of some bigger use to them). After what seemed like half an hour, Namine was finally finished and Violet went back to give Torxi and the others another signal.

Vexen then explained, "I know that you feel very awkward around me because you've lost your memories but… I think I know of a way I can help you remember."

"How?"

"All you need to do is hold my hands and shut your eyes. Concentrate only on me, Crystal."

"Okay, if you insist… but if this is a trick to hurt me I will personally!"

"This is no trick. I assure you of that, young miss."

"Okay, here goes." Crystal and Vexen locked hands and as Vexen wrapped his arms around the scared girl, she saw something flash in her mind: a vision of her past. She saw herself as a little girl again, playing in Radiant Garden with her scientist parents, Even and Sapphire. Sapphire was just as radiant in the vision as she once was and Even, or Vexen looked exactly like he did years ago. She then saw Vexen in a vision of her past when they first met just today.

She wrapped her arms around Vexen and sobbed while exclaiming, "It is you, father! It is you after all these years! Father!"

"Crystal, my darling!"

The two joined together in an embrace, in which Zexion joined in too. Torxi and Axel smiled at the event and then strolled out of the room, while the rest of the group embraced. The group continued to embrace until Vexen and Crystal broke apart.

Crystal then inquired worryingly, "Where's my mother?"

"…Unfortunately, Crystal… your mother died when you were 4 years old. I lied to you about what happened to her because I feared that you would possess the same sacrificial ability… I'm so sorry."

"It's alright dad. You were just protecting me and I forgive you now. We're together and that's all that matters."

Zexion then exclaimed, "You never told me that your wife died, Vexen!... How did she die?"

"She sacrificed herself in a crystal to save her clan and Crystal and I… by using the 'Crystal Sacrificial Spell'. It is a spell that only the Frost King, Snow Queen, and Ice Princess can perform and once it's activated, not even they can stop it from the inside and no one can stop it from the outside."

"May I tap into your memories to demonstrate to Crystal what the spell does?"

"If you like, Zexion."


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26: The Truth About Crystal and Sapphire/ Zexion's Illusion**

Zexion placed a hand on Vexen's head and found the right memory. He smirked with anticipation and strolled to the center of the room, clearing any furniture that would distract him. He cast an illusion on himself that made him transform into the figure of Sapphire. Sapphire was a tall, beautiful young lady, with long metallic blonde hair that had two long braided strands of hair wrapped with lilac bands that framed her face, pale blue eyes, pale pink lips, and fair skin. She wore a white lab coat over a knee-length baby blue sun dress that had an attached gold sash around the waist, lines of snow trim circling the skirt of the dress, and on the center of the neck of the dress was a brown brooch with the Frost clan emblem on it (which now belongs to Crystal). She also wore navy blue high-heels, a blue crystal tiara (which also belongs to Crystal), and a delicate blue crystal around her neck.

"Sapphire… my sweet darling."

"It's not really Sapphire, Vexen. It's just my illusion based on your recollection of her. This is to show Crystal the truth about what happened to her mother and to herself."

Then he cast an illusion of Vexen (Even), Lexaeus (Aeleus), Xaldin (Dilan), and a 4-year old Crystal, with pale blue-green eyes and fair skin with short blonde hair who wore a baby blue dress and lilac boots and around her own neck was the crystal emblem necklace (which is the reason Vexen and Sapphire gave her the name Crystal on the day of her birth.)

He performed the spell the same way Sapphire did, uttering the words, "I'm sorry Even darling… but to save our clan and our family… I must sacrifice myself. Let my daughter know I love her and I want you to know something too…"

"What?"

"I love you so much, Even… Goodbye!"

"No, Sapphire! SAPPHIRE! DON'T DO THIS PLEASE!"

Sapphire kissed Vexen one final time before performing the spell, "Power Crystal Sacrificial Spell, Activate!"

A large blue crystal surrounded her body and as she sang an incantation in the Frost clan language, Vexen tried to break through the crystal with his shield but he knew that he could only watch because he knew the crystal couldn't break from the inside or outside. (Really, there was nothing he could do to save her, Not this time.) Meanwhile, Dilan and Aeleus had taken Crystal away from the science lab to protect her from the attacking heartless.

After a while, the crystal started to glow white and the power from it consumed all of the heartless, even the ones that tried to attack Dilan, Crystal, and Aeleus from many miles away. Then Sapphire laid in the crystal, lifeless and still. Vexen touched the crystal, and the crystal shattered and plummeted to the ground, taking Sapphire down with it. The shattered pieces scattered on the building, and as Sapphire came down, Vexen caught her in the nick of time. He gave her CPR and listened for a heartbeat but, there was no pulse nor beat. He sobbed after he tried hard to bring her back to life. (He didn't want to give up on her but he knew he had to.) Dilan and Aeleus watched in pain as their master wept over the death of his wife. Crystal ran to her father and hid behind his lab coat, asking what had happened to her mother.

The only thing Vexen could reply with was, "Your mother is just tired and has collapsed… but she should be awake shortly… she should be… she should be."

After a moment passed, Vexen carried Sapphire's lifeless body back to the lab and as he laid her down in his lab, he went to Crystal's bedroom and tucked her in. The next day, he placed his wife in a capsule filled with liquid and as he mourned the death of his wife for days, weeks, even months; he placed fresh flowers on her capsule every day. Then on the day that Vexen was trying to conduct another experiment with Crystal's help, their laboratory was attacked again and this time, they targeted Crystal. She was trying to escape with her dad when she slipped and fell into the freezing ocean water below the laboratory building. Vexen screamed his daughter's name and saw her almost lifeless body on a wood plank, but as he was ready to hop the balcony, he was pinned down by the heartless and had to watch his daughter float away.

All too soon the illusion ended and the room was back to normal. Crystal couldn't believe what she had seen. She looked at her father and then at Zexion and Violet. She couldn't believe that her father lied about her mother's death but knew that he and his bodyguards only did it to protect her.

Violet, seeing the image of Zexion's illusions exclaimed, "I've seen a portrait of Sapphire in the library with a biography about her own life written by Vexen. It said that she was the most famous scientist in Radiant Garden for being the only female and it also said that she was the only one to be a member of a royal family of another clan that married a half-human. For those that don't know, half-humans are those that are the offspring of a human who can either use fire, thunder, both powers or no powers at all and another element from another clan. Those kinds of people are very common now a days…On that same token, I knew I had seen and read about her somewhere before. But, I'm really sorry for you and your father's loss… truly I am. Zexion and I offer our condolences."

"Thanks for your concern but now that I have my father and a new family with me… I'm gonna be just fine. Although, I do wish mother was still here with us."

Vexen wrapped his arms around Crystal a 2nd time and whispered, "She'll always be in your heart and she's always watching us. She'll always be with us and she'll never leave you or me." The four stayed in the room until they decided to go to sleep.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: The 7 Clans Are Free/ Xaldin's Meeting with The Past **

The next day after all the princesses and guardians were found, they conducted a meeting to decide about how to deal with the emblem heartless assassin threat and how to help the other clans break free from their prison cells. Saix, Demyx, Zexion, Violet, Crystal, and Scarlett wanted to set their people free but they wanted to do it themselves. Everyone agreed to help but without sacrificing any Rose clan survivors or their keyblade wielders. After the meeting, the 10 people went their separate ways.

However, Xaldin stared at a young 29 year old woman that was with the Wizard clan after they escaped. She had long wavy ebony hair that was down and violet eyes. She was wearing a half-sleeved red dress with a huge hood and the Black-wing clan insignia on the back with black combat boots, (really short) black shorts, one black fingerless glove on her left hand and a Black-wing clan spear in her gloved hand.

"Hey Xaldin! What's up?" Lexaeus asked as he and Zexion walked up to the man.

"Hey guys… I'm just thinking."

"Thinking about what, Number 3? You better speak up before I get bored."

" See that girl in the red cloak?"

"What about her? Is she important or something?!"

"…Remember how I told all of you that my wife and two daughters died when I was younger… before I came to the human world?"

"Yeah… why are you bringing it up now?"

"…I have a strange feeling that the girl is my long-lost daughter, Wendy."

"Xaldin, don't get me wrong… I understand what that feels like… helping Vexen and Crystal but I have to ask… Are you sure this is her?! It could be a girl that looks like her."

"Zexion, She wears the sacred coat and no one other than people from our clan wears the coat."

"I stand corrected… If you think it's really her then get to know her. Ask her about her family and if she gives you the answers that you want, then you'll know it's really her."

Xaldin took a deep breath, stared again at her, and began to walk towards the girl. The girl was polishing her spear when Xaldin walked up to her and exclaimed, "Excuse me young miss, but I'd like to speak to you alone."

The woman stood up and said, "Hello sir, how are you?"

"Very well thank you… and you?"

"Very well, thank you… You came over here to speak to me?"

"Yes."

"About what?!"

Xaldin sat down with the woman and began to speak, "I… You remind me of someone I once knew long ago…I want to make sure I'm not dreaming so I came to ask you… are your parents still alive?"

"…Unfortunately they aren't. My baby sister Vento, my mother who used to be a Wind dancer named Jenaveve died protecting us and my father Dilan ran with my dying sister in his arms… so yeah, that's what happened during the Black-wing clan village raid that wiped us out except for a few survivors and I… You said I reminded you of someone?"

Xaldin couldn't even open his mouth to speak. (This really was his daughter!) Finally he asked her another question, "What's your name?"

"In our language, I'm called Ventoso but here I'm known as Wendy… Pardon my asking but what's your name, sir?"

"I'm called Xaldin here but to tell you the truth… I'm a Black-wing clan survivor like yourself. In the clan I was known as…Dilan… After asking all these questions I've realized something."

"What?"

"You remind me of my daughter Wendy because you are my daughter. I'd know that face and that wavy hair anywhere. I can't believe I found you after all these years."

As he went to hug the woman she exclaimed, 'Wait a minute!... You said you were Dilan?"

"Yes and this is no lie… you mark my words."

"It's really you?!"

"Yes dear."

"You've been alive all this time!?"

"Yes my darling Wendy."

"**FATHER!**"

"**WENDY!**"

The two clung to each other in an embrace, not wanting to let the other go. "I can't believe it, Father! After all those years of finding you, we found each other."

"I guess my friends were right… Fate would bring you to me when the time was right."

Lexaeus walked over and asked the girl, "Hello, I'm Xaldin's friend Lexaeus."

"Hello!"

"I was wondering if you knew any Terracotta clan survivors here since I'm one of them?"

"Yes… I know a man and woman that are here."

"Is one of them named Adam?! He's my son and I just hope he's alive!"

"… I'm sorry to say it but my husband, my children, and I have **NEVER** heard of a man named Adam before… I'm sorry for your loss and I offer my condolences."

"… You have a husband and kids?!"

"Would you like to see them, Father?"

"Yes… I would."

"Alright then, follow me."

Xaldin followed Wendy until a 14 year old black-haired woman hugged her, wrapping her arms around her neck. "Father, this is my only daughter Menina… Menina, this is your grandfather, Dilan or Xaldin."

"Hello, Grandpa!.. Mama, the boys are at it again!"

"Please excuse me, Father. I have two twin mischievous boys that are up to no good…**AR!** **C** **U!** Get over here now!"

"I've already found them, dear."

"Thanks darling. What were they doing this time?!"

"They were messing with Menina's equipment **WHILE** she was training!"

"You know that your sister has to train for the war… don't make these people think you're wild animals. You're strong Black-wing clan survivors like your father and I. We don't want you to be killed or hurt so don't mess with other people's weapons. Understand?!"

"We were just adjusting the handle so it would be easier for Menina to use her special attacks without cutting herself.

"Yeah, see for yourself."

Menina used the spear and it worked like a charm. "Wow! This is an improvement. Thanks you two! You're the best!"

"All right.. I'll let it go this time but please don't do it again."

"Yes mom!"

"… Juan, boys… I'd like to introduce you to your grandfather and my father, Dilan or Xaldin to his friends."

"It's a pleasure sir. It's nice to know that our family can thrive and to also know that they're still survivors from our home-clan."

"It's a pleasure to meet the man that protected my daughter in my place. Thank you so much!"

"I will be happy knowing that my family and I will fight alongside you in battle."

"Same here, Juan… Same here."


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: Special Training and Proposal in the Rose Clan**

Meanwhile, back at the Rose clan camp, Belladonna was getting taught on how to use her Rose Blade by her teacher Prince Logan. She started her training being miserable and wanted to give up but with Logan's guidance, she worked hard and long to perfect her skills. Eventually, the teacher and student began to look like they were falling in love, even though they never showed these feelings to each other. After what seemed like days and weeks of training, one night… Logan got up the courage to ask Belladonna to marry him and become his queen after the war, to unite their kingdoms and because he loved her, even after a short amount of time. She accepted his proposal and as they kissed under the moonlight, Rosianna and Luke eavesdropped on the love attraction. As the young royal couple parted ways for the night, Rosianna and Luke took each member aside to talk to them personally.

"You are in love with him and you accepted his proposal. I'm so proud of you, Belladonna. Congratulations!"

"No, don't congratulate me… I should congratulate you."

"Why? What did I do?"

"You helped me get into the army and that's how I met him. It's all because of you… thank you. Without your help, I would have never known about what my mother and I's bratty, greedy attitude did to our kingdom. Now, I can put it back together."

"Well, you're welcome… so you worried about the war?"

"Yeah, but not as worried as I was after the village raid. I still worry that someone's gonna get seriously hurt or killed… and I don't want it to be you, Luke, or Logan. I'd rather it be me… since I deserve it the most."

"You don't deserve to be killed… even if you were a brat for the past 15 years. You've changed now and I think on that battlefield, you'll leave it all out there that you're not afraid and that you will avenge your clan. When the time comes, you'll understand what I mean but now, I think it's time you and I get some shut-eye. We've got a long day ahead of us, preparing for our next battle."

"Yeah… I guess you're right. Goodnight Rosianna."

"Goodnight Belladonna."


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29: Scarlett's Sister and Saix's Cousin/ Birth of Hope**

It had been about 6 months since Scarlett had seen her sister Rayna and her brother-in-law Saim. She was worried sick about them and wanted to know if they were okay but, she couldn't leave without Saix. She slept in front of the window every couple of nights for weeks and every time, was exposed to moonlight. She screamed in pain and Saix woke up, closed the window blinds, and held her in his arms until she calmed down.

Tonight, he couldn't take it anymore so he exclaimed, "I know you're worried about Rayna and Saim so, let's just get them and bring them back here… okay?"

"Okay, I'm sorry I woke you up this late at night. I was just worried about…"

"No, don't be sorry… you're just worried about them, that's all. Like the saying goes: 'Don't cry over spilled milk.' You'll be fine. Come on."

As the two snuck out of their bedroom to open a dark corridor to Radiant Garden, Scarlett whispered, "There's something you should know about Rayna. You see, she's with child."

"You mean she's already given birth to a child."

"No I mean she's…what's that human word for 'being with child' again?"

"Pregnant?"

"Yeah right! Pregnant… Rayna's pregnant with Saim's child however, we don't know what gender it is but I do know that she could give birth any minute so we gotta hurry."

"Right."

In Torxi's bedroom, she sensed Saix and Scarlett's presence as they were sneaking out of the castle. "Axel… Axel, wake up."

"What… 5 more minutes!"

"Axel, I sense Saix and Scarlett's presence… but they're leaving Castle Oblivion."

"So what do we do… follow them?"

"Yeah, let's go before it's too late."

The two snuck out of their rooms too and followed the couple until Saix heard them.

He whispered angrily, "What are you two doing here? Don't follow us… go back to sleep."

"Okay Torxi we tried. Come on, let's go back to bed."

"No Axel… wait a minute. You two are hiding something from us and I want a reason about why you're leaving right now."

Scarlett confessed, "Okay okay okay… Saix and I are going to Radiant Garden to bring my pregnant sister and her husband back here to the castle so they'll be out of harm's way… I don't know if you'll accept but will you come with us?"

"Scarlett, no don't let them come!"

"Saix… we need all the help we can get… do it for me, please."

"Fine, only you two can come along… let's hurry."

As they walked to the dark corridor and made their way to the beaches of Radiant Garden, Scarlett collapsed to the ground in pain and exclaimed, "Oh no! I forgot!"

"Forgot what darling?"

"Saix, she was 1 month pregnant last time I saw her and now she's 9 months pregnant. She could be giving birth right now and if the heartless hear the noise… she, Saim, and the child will be killed."

"Then we better hurry!" The four ran to the beach-side caves and made it just in time.

"You three wait here, I'll speak to Saim so that he'll let you in." Scarlett explained as she made her way inside.

Saim came out of the cave and welcomed everyone inside to see Rayna while he shouted, "You may enter but…I want to talk to the one who's known as Saix."

Saim was a very broad, tall man with shoulder-length blue hair, gnarled pierced elf ears, and yellow eyes who wore black pants, black boots, and a black cloak over a blue and purple shirt. He also wore his blue jeweled wedding ring and his emblem necklace. Saix stepped forward and went down to the ocean with Saim while Axel, Torxi, and Scarlett met Rayna, Delores, and Bridget. Rayna was a cute, fragile woman with sea-green eyes, blue hair that was wrapped in Indian style braided pigtails, who wore her emblem necklace, a small blue-jeweled wedding ring, and an animal skin shawl over top of a dark navy blue dress that matched black knee-high boots. On her head, she wore a baby pink head scarf and wore a multicolored bead bracelet on her left arm. Delores was now a middle-aged woman with short ebony hair in a low bun and dark blue eyes who wore a navy blue, long-sleeved, knee-length dress with a white waist apron and brown flats. Bridget had ebony hair down to her waist (now in a high ponytail in a amethyst purple hair-tie) and golden eyes with pierced, pointed elf ears who wore amethyst purple arm warmers with white bandages on her right leg, a black, midriff-like, turtle-neck tank top (with the Mortal clan insignia printed on the back of it), her emblem necklace, cobalt blue sweat pants and black combat boots. They welcomed the couple with open arms and let them feel Rayna's baby while it was still in the womb. They thought that this moment was very touching and congratulated Rayna on her and the child.

Outside, Saim and Saix spoke, "Scarlett told me that you are her husband… am I correct?"

"Yes, I proposed to her many days ago."

"You seem very familiar… do I know you from somewhere?"

"Yeah, do you remember your old cousin, Isa?"

"Vaguely, but yeah… I remember him. But I think he died a long time ago after we were separated."

"What if I told you he was closer than you think?"

"He is… but where?"

"Here… I am Isa… I just go by Saix because of the Organization I belong to."

"When I'm around you, I feel his presence… that means you are him. Oh, Isa! It's so glad to be with you again."

"I'm so glad to see you again too, Saim."

After their long embrace, they heard a startling scream from the inside of the cave. The two ran and saw Rayna who whispered, "The baby… it's coming."

Scarlett asked Saix to get some water from the ocean; so that Torxi could heat some up to get rid of the salt. Some of it would be used to clean the baby and the rest would be used for Rayna to drink from. Then she commanded Bridget and Delores to get rags, which they already had on hand in a small medical pouch. Then she told Axel to encourage Rayna to push while she got the baby out and Saix and Saim held her hands. After what seemed like 2 hours, the baby was finally out in just the blink of an eye. Torxi and Axel cleaned the newborn baby girl, wrapped her up in Rayna's head scarf, and handed her to the parents. Rayna and Saim embraced and decided on a name for the newborn girl and decided to name her 'Hope', since she was the one that gave them a reason to believe that Isa (Saix) and Scarlett would return to them. Knowing that the heartless would hear the noise, Scarlett and the rest of the group led the couple to a dark corridor that led them all back to Castle Oblivion.

Once they got back, they heard voices of people calling their names, until they saw Xion and Roxas with their keyblades lit running towards them screaming, "Axel, Torxi! Where the heck have you two been?!"

"Yeah guys… we were worried sick about you!"

"Are you guys okay?"

Torxi announced, "Yeah, we're alright… and we'd like to introduce 5 new people to you. I'd like to introduce you to Scarlett's little sister Rayna, her brother-in-law and Saix's little cousin Saim, Delores, Bridget, and the couple's newborn baby girl, Hope."

The two looked at the small sea-green eyed blue haired girl, smiling and laughing at her. The baby smiled back and even laughed for the first time in minutes. The other members followed, smiling and laughing with the cute, tiny newborn.

Then, Zexion inquired, "But, where are they going to sleep, Saix? If she stays on the thirteenth floor, the baby will wake us all up with its crying so, I think she should stay on the 11th floor with Saim."

Some members seemed to agree but others disapproved of the plan. Saix then came up with an idea, "They'll stay on the thirteenth floor and surely, I know that either you or Violet can put some sound barrier on the door only for the baby so that you guys won't hear it." Violet spoke up and agreed to cast the spell, which was cast successfully after the other members went to sleep.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30: Torxi and Axel meet their ancestors**

After many weeks, Demyx asked Crystal to marry him, with the permission of Vexen and Zexion proposed to Violet after he got Destiny's permission, in which Violet accepted the proposal. Shortly after the 3 men proposed and got the answer they wanted, a strange man appeared on the 13th floor of the castle, along with some emblem heartless assassins. The 7 clan guardians and princesses stood in front of the exit and when he asked to speak to the princess and guardian who were already married, Torxi and Axel stepped forward.

He spoke first, "You know that the chosen day of war is upon us and you know that I'll offer you a challenge that you can't refuse."

Axel got angry and tried to attack, "You killed my parents! You filthy monster!"

Torxi and Saix held him back and as she asked, "What's your deal?"

The man explained, "I will offer 6 battles for you and your alliance to fight, each clan princess and guardian going in the order as followed: Mortal, Moonlight, Rose, Wizard, and Frost/ Aqua clan will fight 2 of my men on each chosen day of battle. Every time you win, you come closer to stopping my plan of world domination. If you win the best 5 out of 6 battles, then I'll stop my attacks and never return, however if you lose, I take you all as my prisoners and take over all the worlds… are we agreed on this challenge?"

Axel sprung up and exclaimed, "Yeah, we accept your challenge, monster!"

Before they left, the stranger explained, "I'll give you a week and a half to train for battle and only one princess and one guardian will fight each day against two of my strongest warriors. Good luck… cause you'll need it."

The stranger and his heartless disappeared, leaving the other members dumbfounded and worried. The members had another meeting to decide on how they would train, agreeing on training individually based on clan and then together the final day to improve their teamwork. That night while Torxi and Axel slept, Torxi sensed a strange presence in her room. She woke Axel, Roxas and Xion up and told them to follow her. They all leapt out of bed and before their eyes was a glowing ball of yellow light.

It whispered, "Follow me… come with me." They followed the light until they entered the basements of Castle Oblivion.

The pair looked around and the light disappeared behind a wall, in which Torxi and Axel had to open together by using Axel's pyrokinesis abilities and Torxi's orb of light. They then saw four figures of light that resembled all of them exactly. The first figure was a female wearing a burgundy red wine colored pirate shirt with a sea green gold-lined vest, a navy blue skirt with gold stars printed on it(1st 2 items both belonged to Linde), an orange bandana/headband(belonged to Brock), brown furry boots(also belonged to Linde), an ember stone necklace and tan pants. She had blue eyes and long ponytail braided mahogany red hair and her face was even the mirror image of Torxi. The next figure was a male wearing a white pirate-looking shirt over beige pants and black boots, as well as a black headband, an ember stone necklace and a blue red lined vest/coat. He also had red, spiked hair and green eyes and his face greatly resembled Axel. Then a young blue-eyed ebony haired girl wearing a white pirate shirt, black pants, black boots, a Kingdom Hearts Moon charm necklace and a red bandana/ headband and a young blonde-haired, blue eyed boy wearing a beige vest over a white shirt with gray pants, a red cloth around his waist, a red bandana , a Kingdom Hearts Moon charm necklace and black boots appeared behind the other spirits. (All the spirits wore black hooded cloaks).

The mahogany-haired woman spoke first, "Do you know who we are, young ones or do you need a clue?"

Torxi recognized them from Zexion's lexicon and exclaimed, "No… I've already figured out who you are. You two are Veronica and Alexander, the 7 clan princess and guardian of the Mortal clan and Axel and I's ancestors. But I don't know who the other two are."

"You are correct child. We'll introduce you to these two later on."

Axel then asked, "Why did you want to talk to us in the middle of the night? Is it something important or can I go back to bed?"

"Axel, be nice!"

"It is something important and something that could help you in the tournament… My wife Veronica and I even in our ghost form are still capable of having visions and visiting our descendants in the future until their journey is complete, then we can live in peace. We have had a vision and we don't want the same event that happened to us to repeat again with you two."

"You and Axel my dear can have visions too however, Axel's are distorted and inaccurate while yours are just the opposite… Alexander and I have agreed to show you the vision we had however, Torxi's will be accurate and Axel's will not. If you agree to see the vision Axel, you must **NOT** ask Torxi about what she saw since she is forbidden to tell you."

Axel shook his head and exclaimed, 'All right, I won't ask her and I'll just let whatever happens in the vision happen unless I can stop it myself."

"Now that it's understood, Veronica dear… let's begin shall we?"

"Yes, now… just close your eyes and grasp my hands Torxi. Axel, you and Alexander do the same."

Torxi concentrated on the vision and suddenly saw her and Axel in the tournament. He was about to get hit by a poison blade hilt when she jumped in front of the blow and took an injury to the head, the same place where she got hit when she and Axel were attacked and turned into Nobodies. Axel collapsed on top of her and used his pyrokinesis to create a shield that would protect him and Torxi and after he became enraged, he threw his chakrams, sliced the heartless and won the tournament. When his friends tried to get him to stop using the shield, he attacked them. (She was unsure if she survived the 2nd head blow.)

Torxi collapsed and cried into her hands. Axel held her in his arms and hugged her tightly, not wanting to let her go. He dared not ask her what she saw, knowing the promise he made to Veronica and Alexander. He almost cried himself seeing her in that much pain.

Axel then heard a familiar voice, "Axel! Axel my son!"

"Mom?!" Axel turned with Torxi in his arms and saw his mother standing before him.

"MOM!" He stood up with Torxi helping him to his feet, and then he ran to his deceased parent and hugged her. His dad then came and joined in the embrace.

Axel buried his face into his parents' chests, crying, "MOM! DAD! I missed you so much!"

"We missed you too, Axel!"

"Itor, my daughter… is it really you?" Torxi and Axel turned and saw Torxi's parents, Debra and Joseph behind her.

"MOM? DAD? After all these years… is it finally you?"

"Yes, we haven't seen you since you were a baby."

"MOM! DAD!" Torxi buried her face in their chests and cried, 'I missed you so much… I can't believe I never knew you. I love you so much!"

"And we love you too, Torxi." After a while, Veronica and Alexander started to cry themselves.

"This reminds me of when we saw our parents in this form… and when I first met Sheeta and Roscuro." Veronica exclaimed.

"Who's Sheeta and Roscuro?" Axel inquired.

"Why you don't know. Sheeta and Roscuro are the ancestors of your little keyblade- wielding friends. They are here before you."

Veronica explained as she pointed to the two teenagers. Torxi sat down and asked, "Why don't you tell us about yourselves… it would give us a little more insight into our pasts as well."

"Yes, I'll agree with my wife and let us tell you."

Veronica looked at Alexander and then announced, "Oh, alright… We'll tell you our story but we'll start at the beginning…Alexander and I grew up together since we were babies. Then, we fell in love at 8 years old and it got to the point where Alexander became my boyfriend, giving me an ember stone necklace his father made along with a box with the Kingdom Hearts symbol on it to prove our love. I remember one day; we were passing through the village when a young boy with blue hair and yellow eyes was being attacked by some human children. Alexander and I stopped them before they could beat him to death and we took him to our home while he was unconscious from his struggle with them."

"Then, Veronica started to heal him while I guarded the house from intruders and when she was done, we made something for the boy to eat when he woke up. And no sooner had he got there did he try to attack us, thinking that we were going to torture him but we claimed that if we hadn't come he would be dead. He recognized us as his saviors and apologized for his behavior. We let him eat and took him home after he told us that he was Samuel of the Moonlight clan and even introduced us to his parents, and that's when our friendship formed. We learned about his ancestry and he learned ours. Then when we were 18 after my foster parents Linde and Brock were killed, Samuel left us to see his childhood friend Salvia so he could marry her before the heartless started a war against the Moonlight clan, killing all in their path. Then he promised to come back when he was married and had settled down. I remember that a couple years before Samuel came back, I saw two young children wearing only rags, running in the woods and thought nothing was wrong until I heard a scream coming from those same children. I ran into the forest and saw an emblem heartless take the girl's Kingdom Hearts moon charm necklace and when the other child, a boy wearing the same necklace went after the heartless, it tried to slice him. I had to make haste so, I joined in the fight and stole the necklace back from the heartless. I gave the necklace back to the girl and they thanked me.

'Hold on!' I said 'Where are you two from and what are your names? I'm Alexander by the way.'

'We're not from around here but now that you ask… I'm Sheeta and this is Roscuro.'

'Sheeta and Roscuro… those are wonderful names. Are you traveling back to your parents… friends… anyone?

' 'Well, you see sir, Sheeta and I lost our parents a long time ago so they're d-'

'Oh, I see… so you're on your own.'

'Yes sir but, now that we've met the Great Bandit Alexander, who steals from the heartless and you gave us back our stolen items… we'll be on our way.'

They started to walk away but, I felt bad for them so I shouted, 'WAIT!'

'What is it now?'

'I feel really bad for you guys because you have to go on such long, dangerous journeys on your own and because you don't have a home or protection.'

'What are you saying sir?'

'I would love you guys to live with my wife Veronica and me in our house.'

'Are you serious?'

'I don't know Sheeta…How do we know we can trust him?!'

'Good point, Roscuro.'

'Oh, come on. I'll give you new clothes, 3 square meals a day, a warm bed, and I'll even train you in the art of fighting and if you do well… I'll make you my acquaintances.'

'Alright, Sheeta and I will go with you… but if you hurt her or me I will personally cut you down with my keyblade!'

'I understand your threat and I promise you two that you will always be protected and under my care until you decide to leave.'

'And don't treat us like children because we're not. We're 15 years old and we're lovers, not siblings if you wanted that clarified.'

'Understood, young man.' After that encounter, I decided to take them home and when Veronica saw them, she didn't mind having two extra people in the house. She even helped pick out some Linde's old clothes for Sheeta and some Brock's old clothes for Roscuro, which suited them perfectly… since they were to be bandits who stole from the heartless and gave back to the people one day alongside us."

"Then about 2 months later, I was walking through town after I went to the apothecary for some new herbs for medicine and on my way home, I saw a crowd ganging up on something or someone. I thought it was strange so I decided to take a look and I saw a young woman my same age getting beaten by some men in the village.

'Ugly Moon-light clan filth!'

'Go back to your clan, we don't want you here!' I heard them say.

Finally I couldn't take it anymore and jumped right in, 'Why're you picking on this fair lady? You have no right to do so and I won't let you unless you want me to burn your hand and not heal it. My best advice to you is to go home and leave her alone right now!'

They left her alone and walked away. The young woman was the most beautiful one I had ever seen: She had eyes as yellow as gold, hair as blue as the sky and skin as tan as the earth on the ground. She was wearing a tan skirt made of fur and (really short) navy blue shorts made out of the clan's cloth with brown knee-high furry boots, black fingerless gloves, and a purple and midnight blue 'tank top' as you humans today call it."

"Then, I saw a man that looked identical to the woman yelling at Veronica, who was only trying to help, so I stepped in thinking he would hurt her. He looked at me strangely, saying my name and telling me that we had met before. I looked carefully at him and remembered him as being my old friend, Samuel and that the woman was his wife, Salvia. We took them back to the house, healed Salvia's wounds, and when we found out that they had no home in the village, we allowed them to stay in the house with us until they decided to leave or if we had to move away. Then months later, Sheeta got kidnapped by emblem heartless assassins who were looking for us. We had to rescue her or else she might give up our location out of fear or get herself killed. Roscuro told us that she wouldn't give in so easily but that he couldn't live without her and would kill himself if she too was dead. After a long journey, we eventually rescued her and she told us that the heartless were on the move with their leader, looking for us."

"Then of course years later, we joined up with the other clan princesses and guardians and fought the leader of the heartless who is in fact Torxi's foster father but in my time, he was a family friend but never raised me. I was raised by the village elder's daughter Linde and her husband Warrior Brock (or Bo-Bo to Linde and his comrades) since Linde could never bear children. Brock found my mother dying while training on a riverbank and she told him to take me in and protect me from Xemnas's ancestor. He did as she told him and they raised me until they were killed when I was 12 and 13. They were the real close friends of my mother and father, Joshua (Jo-Jo to his comrades) and Adeen and Alexander's parents Merida and Shane… Listen, I know that killing your foster parent will hurt you since he has raised you, but to keep this world from being under his and the darkness's control… it must be done. My best advice to you and your friends is to avenge your parents, take back what was taken from you, and protect as many lives as you can."

"Like my wife said… I'll put it another way: Leave your legacy out there on that battlefield. Remember, if you need any of us, we're always within you. You just have to call upon us and we'll come to your aid. Until we're needed again, Goodbye."

After the encounter with their parents, the vision from the spirits, and their stories about their past, they thanked their ancestors for their nightly encounter and went back to sleep hours later. The next day, everyone in the castle began training hard for the war ahead of them. Rosianna conducted a meeting with her fellow 7 clan alliance to let them know that she and her army were leaving the next day to help some warriors outside of Castle Oblivion battle against the heartless. The other members agreed to let her go as long as she promised not to get seriously hurt or even killed, in which she made a solemn promise that she wouldn't.


	31. Chapter 31

** Chapter 31: Rose Clan Ambush Battle: Logan's Tears and Belladonna's Love**

The next morning, Rosianna and her thorn army set off for the battlefield, leaving behind the wounded, some of their healers, and women and children who were unable to fight. Once they got to the battlefield, they ambushed the emblem heartless assassins. Rosianna, the archers, and the healers hid in the trees, aiming at the heartless once the fight began.

Belladonna and Logan fought side by side, looking out for other warriors as well as each other. At one point of the battle, a man got injured and Belladonna recognized him as Bree's son, George. A healer who was also Bree's daughter, Sarah ran out of her hiding spot to heal him. She almost got hit by an approaching heartless when Belladonna defended the girl as she healed her brother. After George was healed, Belladonna tried to lead the two to safety until she got impaled in the stomach while trying to protect Logan from a surprise attack.

"Don't let the heartless win. Save the kingdom in my stead, Logan. You **MUST**do this for me… I love…you."

She collapsed to the ground, bleeding while Logan carried her with one arm and fought with the other. Finally he, Sarah, George, and Belladonna made it back safely. Logan started to cry, thinking that Belladonna would die, but to repay Belladonna for saving her life, Sarah offered to heal the princess's poison and stab wounds. After the battle, Rosianna looked around and saw few casualties from her side of the field. (A few Rose clan people had died that day however, many were injured.) Rosianna gathered up her army and headed back to Castle Oblivion. Once they got back, Bree and the other servants inquired about where Belladonna was and when Katie gave them a sad look, they thought she was dead.

To clear up their confusion, Katie apologized for her behavior and exclaimed, "No! She's not dead… she's alive. However, she's seriously injured and with a wound of that magnitude, I don't know if she'll make it. She seems fine so I guess Bree's daughter's medical treatment worked."

"How are my children?! Are they alright?"

"Relax Bree, they're fine. Your son's wounded badly, your husband's injuries are really hard to heal, and your daughter's fine. Your daughter was healing them when a heartless came out of nowhere but luckily; Belladonna was able to shield her from the sword blow, until the princess herself was impaled by a poison blade while protecting Logan from a surprise attack. Go to your tent to see her if you don't believe me."

The servants ran to Belladonna's tent and Logan stayed with her until she awakened. Suzy and Madeline argued amongst themselves while Sophie tried to break the fight up.

"You let her go into that war! You let this happen, Suzy!"

"What other choice did I have, Madeline?! She was the one who made the decision to go to war. It's not my fault that she got impaled by a blade. She jumped in front of it to protect Logan!"

"You two break it up right now! You shouldn't fight amongst each other because it's not anyone's fault that Belladonna got injured. So just shut up already!"

"Put a bud in it, Sophie! We didn't ask you!"

"Guys, it's not anyone's fault but mine… (Groan)."

"You need to rest Belladonna my darling. You may need your strength again."

"I'm fine Logan. It just hurts, that's all. Don't blame each other for my wound. I'm the one who jumped in front of that blade and it's my fault that Sarah, George, and I almost got killed. I had to defend Logan because I love him too much to see him die, and I protected George and Sarah because I knew they were your kids, and I also knew that you didn't want to see them die too. My father did the same thing during the village raid. He pushed me out of the way as he got impaled by many poison blades at one time. I didn't want to see that happen again on that battlefield… I just couldn't let it happen again."

Bree sat down and then explained, "What you did on the battlefield was offer your own life to save another and few people have that rare quality. It's called being 'pure of heart' and not many people have that quality however, since you became one with your blade… I've seen your father become pure of heart and now you are just the same. You did the right thing… there will be more battles to come, if you're prepared for it."

"I am! I'll do anything to save this clan and the others. I'd die for anyone that was in danger… even if I was their enemy or I simply didn't know them."

That night, Bree, Madeline, Sophie, and Suzy left their tent to see their families while they recovered from injuries. That night, Belladonna woke up to the sound of sobbing… (It was Logan's tears that were being shed and sobs being heard.)

She woke up, wrapped her arms around him, and asked, "Logan, what's the matter? Why are you crying?"

Logan handed her a piece of paper, written in the Rose clan language and continued to cry. Belladonna put her hand on his shoulder and read the letter aloud,

'My dearest son Logan,

I'm very sorry for the way I've treated you for the past few years. I'm sorry for pressuring you to be perfect and trying to make you a man that you didn't want to be. I expected you to grow up faster than you were ready to become a man because I guess I've forgotten about what it's like to be a child. I wish you all the luck I can give you and I hope you return home from battle quickly and safely. Once again I'm very sorry for what I've done and if there's anything I can do to repay you, I would do it a million times.(You know I would) I love you very much and don't want to lose you. If you never return, I'll understand but if you do come home… I would be most grateful.

Sincerely, your mother Queen Eleanor.'

Belladonna cried silently, thinking about the way the letter was written and realizing that Logan was treated the same just like her. She put the letter on the bed and held Logan in her arms until he fell asleep. She then moved the letter, laid him on the bed, and laid down beside him.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32: Axel's Healing Tears**

The chosen day had come for the tournament and every 7 clan princess and guardian was ready for battle. First up were Axel and Torxi against two of the best fighting emblem heartless assassins. The two had a good strategy to beat the heartless quickly and effectively.

Before the battle, Saix inquired from Torxi after Axel left, "Torxi, I had a vision shown to me by my ancestor that something terrible will happen to you and Axel in this tournament. It showed me that someone would get hurt severely. Who is it that gets hurt? Please Torxi, you can tell me."

"If I tell you… do you promise not to tell Axel?"

"I promise."

"It's me… I'll take a head wound to save Axel but, it never showed if I survived."

"Torxi, that can't be true. Please don't make it be true! Torxi no, it can't be you!"

"I have to do this Saix or else we'll both die and no one will be safe from that man's grasp. Just like Vexen said, 'Xemnas is the leader of the emblem heartless assassins who lied to all of us to create and obtain Kingdom hearts and then once that was completed… he would try to destroy and take over all the worlds with help from the heartless.' If I don't make this sacrifice, Axel will die and so will I. Let me ask you something Saix: Would you take a blow for Scarlett without question if she were in danger? Think about it."

"I would do it for her… but I don't want Axel and I to lose you again. We can't lose you again. But if you think this is what needs to be done, by all means… be careful out there. Don't you or Axel do anything reckless. Got it?"

"Got it… thank you Saix!"

After Torxi and Saix's conversation, she and Axel went inside the stadium and the battle began after the audience settled down and the players were on their battlefield.

Axel and Torxi had the upper hand at first, using their speed and pyrokinesis to dodge the attacks and counterattack with a fire-based offence. The heartless tried staying at the center of the stadium, holding their ground but that back-fired because they could easily be knocked off balance by Torxi's fast running and Axel's fire-based attacks, which burnt their feet. Their leader gave them a mean look and they decided to use any means possible to win so; they ran past Torxi but soon started targeting Axel from behind. Torxi jumped in front of them, blocking their attack but getting struck in the process. She flew into the stadium wall behind her and collapsed after creating a loud shriek. Axel ran towards her and held her in his arms. The figure of Alexander appeared and offered to help and Alexander, with Axel's permission went into his body. Axel then cried in anguish and created a barrier of fire around him and Torxi. Each time the heartless touched the barrier or tried to break through it, they would always get burnt. Finally, Axel became so enraged that he threw both of his chakrams at the two enemies like Frisbees and won the battle by defeating them. The leader looked nonchalant at his two defeated heartless, knowing that they had failed him but smirked because they managed to put Torxi into a coma that could eventually finish her off, leading to his easy victory. Saix and the other 7 clan princesses and guardians ran towards him. Alexander and Veronica disappeared after the battle but, Axel continued to attack his friends. Saix intervened and hugged Axel until the red-haired man calmed down. Axel hugged Saix back while still clinging to Torxi. After he had calmed down, he picked the unconscious girl up and carried her to their bedroom, where Namine and even Rosianna used Cura on her until they thought that only 'fate' should decide whether she would live or die. Everyone else was distraught and worried. They all cried (even though most of them were Nobodies) because of the fact that Torxi was like a second mother to most of them and a sister to others. Xion and Roxas cried in Saix's bedroom while Scarlett was comforted by Rayna and Saim.

Saix couldn't take it anymore and went to see Axel. Axel was crouched on his knees in front of the bed looking over Torxi like he was her guardian angel.

Saix put his hands on Axel's shoulder and explained, "You know you can't stay here and watch her forever. Why don't you come get some fresh air in my room? It'll keep you occupied while she's recovering."

Saix tried to drag Axel out of the room but Axel yanked his hand back from Saix's death grip. "I'm not leaving her, Saix. What if she wakes up and I'm not here? I've gotta stay here with her."

"Oh who are you kidding Axel?! I know you're worried about her and all… believe me I understand. But, not eating, sleeping, or getting fresh air every once in a while is a bit extreme."

"If it was Scarlett that was lying here, would you leave her?"

"NEVER!"

"Then you see my point! I love Torxi too hard to lose her again. I almost lost her when we turned into Nobodies and I lost her for three years when she was sent away! I can't lose her again and if she dies… I don't know how I can continue to live. I can't live without her and only death will part us. I know that and I've known that ever since we got married. You have to understand that I can't leave her or else I'm no better than the boy I was when I left my mother when I was 16. I ran from home and she ended up grieving to the point of getting cut by poison blades and then refusing medical treatment so that she could die peacefully to be with my father again. I've already lost her and I don't wanna lose Torxi. I'm not going with you and that's final." Saix turned to leave before saying, "You're right, Axel. Leaving her isn't a good idea… but staying with her won't do you any good either. If you leave, she could wake up or die unexpectingly and if you stay, you'll have to watch her die before your eyes just like you did with your mother. I'm just telling you that you can't always protect her but I'll let you stay with her. Whether she lives or dies, that's up to fate or luck but if she does indeed die, you'll be left with nothing but a broken, poor excuse for a heart and a need to kill yourself because you'll lose your need to live, and then Xemnas will win, just like he wanted since day 1….If she does wake up, inform us of her awakening. We'll come to be by her side and yours no matter the outcome, because that fiery spirit, childish innocence, and purity she's always had, it will always burn as bright as Kingdom Hearts. The people will rise up and fight in her name because she unknowingly changed even the most stubborn people like Larxene or even Marluxia. I pray that she survives for your sake and the others." Axel looked at Saix and then back at Torxi.

He brought her body close to him and laid his chin on her head while crying, "Torxi, please forgive me for not protecting you. Don't give in to your injury. Fight it and come back to me please! I can't live without you. Don't die please, I love you so much!"

Tears rolled from Axel's eyes, down his face, and made their way to the injury on Torxi's head. Axel continued to hold her and weep until he couldn't think of anything else to say. He sobbed into his hands while Torxi laid on the bed almost lifeless. All of a sudden, the tears changed into light that enveloped the wound, healing it from the inside and out.

Torxi breathed deeply once and sat up asking, "Axel, why're you crying?"

"Because…you're dying."

"Well, I'm not dead. I'm alive if that's the answer you want."

Axel rose up and looked on at Torxi. After a moment, he embraced her tightly and she accepted his embrace. They continued to cling to each other until the other members came inside the room, running over to embrace Torxi, feeling thankful that she was alive and well. After they had all gone, Axel asked, "But, how did you come back to life, Torxi? Did you do something?"

"I think that I know the answer."

"DESTINY!"

"It was something inside of you that brought her back… my village calls it 'helande tårar' or simply just 'healing tears.' You seem to have inherited this ability from Alexander. He saved Veronica the same way as you did with the help of his ancestor, Antonio. The healing tears provide you healing abilities that can match Torxi's Cura. The tears can cure anything from something as simple as the common cold to a poison wound from a poison blade. The only drawback to it is it cannot heal death, since death can't be cheated in the end. Your tears were created when you felt a deep, personal, and passionate love for your wife in which you wished that she would live if you could start that tournament all over again. I have a proposition for you, Axel… if you want to help your comrades further, I will ask you to use your healing tears to create stronger antidotes for poison wounds… if you'd like to help."

"I'd do anything to help us all stay alive. I'd even use my tears to help the injured back at the Rose clan camp. You can even put my tears in Vexen's test beakers to give to the other clans."

"Well, let's begin shall we?" Axel cried into 6 test beakers which contained the tears for the antidotes. During the ensuing days before the tournament, Saix, Scarlett, Zexion, Crystal, Violet, and Demyx had worked together to free the Moonlight clan, Frost, Aqua, and Wizard clan from their prisons. Now, Axel's contribution could be used to save many lives and with all the clans out of their prisons, the 7 clan princesses and guardians now had a bigger, stronger army.


	33. Chapter 33

** Chapter 33: Victory of Light/ The Truth About All Members and The Oath**

After Torxi and Axel's battle, the other members of the seven clan alliance stayed on their toes, prepared for the next attack. Saix and Scarlett won their match, so did Zexion and Violet. Marluxia and Rosianna won their match and even a lazy Demyx and a shy Crystal won their match.

The leader of the emblem heartless assassins replied, "This isn't over yet! I'm not done and neither are my men."

"We already won so you lose this fight…Father Xemnas."

"I'm not Xemnas."

"Oh yeah!?"

Zexion blew the hood of the cape away and it revealed his face.

Vexen then exclaimed, "The results from the tests that I used on the hair and blood we gathered from the assassin that targeted Axel…matched your own hair and blood. You killed Torxi's parents. They never committed suicide or left her for you to take care of! You also killed Zexion's parents, Axel's parents, even some parents of the seven clan guardians and princesses. You also killed Crystal's mother, who was also my wife! You deserve the punishment you get!"

"**FOOL!** They sacrificed themselves of their own free will so that their children could live. Zexion's parents used the Power Sacrificial Spell on him while your wife Sapphire used the Crystal Sacrificial Spell on herself to save that weak, shy girl of yours, you, and your bodyguards. They were protecting them from me… but now they're mine!"

"Don't you dare touch them!" Vexen and Destiny exclaimed as they blocked his attack.

Xemnas then backed down and whispered, "We'll do battle again someday… and when they battle me… they'll lose and my army and I will take over all the worlds! Mwah ha ha ha ha ha!"

Back at the castle, everyone was telling stories about what happened to them as children. Many cried and some tried to keep their composure. When the Nobodies started telling their stories, many of them burst into tears (even Saix and Zexion couldn't keep their composure.)

Seeing the people's pain and sorrow caused by the war, Torxi then decided to make a pact, "I've had enough of all the killings and captures… have you all had enough?! I have one plan and I'd like to share it with all of you… I wanna avenge the people we've lost in the past… our families, our friends, our neighbors, even complete strangers… we must avenge them! We're all different and some of us may be enemies of each other… but right now, we have to fight for our worlds, our clans, and even our own survival. All those who agree with me may follow me… who will join me?! If you wish to fight alongside me as a friend and ally, rise up and stand alongside me in this room."

Everyone rose up from their seats and stood behind Torxi. (Even Namine and the injured Rose clan and Moonlight clan citizens stood up alongside her.) They knew that this battle wouldn't be their last.

"Then that means that we've made a pact to save our worlds. Let's do it… on three… one, two, three… Clan alliance!"

Saix then exclaimed, "Let's get some sleep you guys… come on."

****As the whole group went their separate ways, Zexion ran to the basements of the castle, with Violet following him silently close behind. He sprinted down the stairs and sharply turned corners until he made it to a small door. He went through it with Violet still following him. He then stopped in dead silence at the center of the room and grasped his necklace.

He took it off delicately and prepared to throw it into a deep pool of darkness he created below him when Violet screamed, "NO!" and grasped his hand, clinging to him tightly while she started crying.

Zexion embraced Violet to calm her down and then pushed her back and exclaimed, "I can't live my life until this dreadful necklace is gone. It reminds me about that night my parents died and I can't let that memory haunt me anymore. I just can't!"

Zexion crouched to his knees and started to sob in front of Violet (Something she had never seen him do before.) She crouched down beside him and held him in her arms while he cried. He continued to sob into her shoulder until he dried his tears, using the handkerchief that Violet had in a pouch around her waist.

As he dried his eyes (with Violet's help), she explained, "Do you know what you're doing if you throw that necklace away like it's garbage!?... you're throwing away all the good, pleasant memories you had with your parents, your clan, even the ones you had with me. You'll regret doing that later if I let you get rid of it. I understand your grief since I went through the same thing too… but you really shouldn't try to hide those painful feelings and emotions. It's not your burden to bear and it's not right for you to be hiding your emotions. Even the strongest Nobodies can still feel emotion. Take Axel for example… he cries when Torxi gets upset or hurt. You cry for your parents and I have cried for you. Saix has even cried when he's told us stories of his past. And what if we were to get married after the war and immediately have children? Wouldn't you want to have a second chance at raising a family… figuring out what your parents and mine gave up to keep us alive? If you like…I can help you through this grief successfully, if you agree to cooperate with me. I want to help you, Zexion… and I hope that you'll accept my help."

"I'll do it… I'll do anything that can help me release these emotions. I hate having to bottle them up like this! I want you to help me… you just have to give me that chance… Violet, I'm so sorry for snapping at you back there. I didn't mean to."

"It's alright… you were just upset. I understand your pain and I have empathy for you."

The two continued to embrace until Violet let go of Zexion. She took off one of her rings and handed it to Zexion. "This ring belonged to my ancestor Viola, and it's been passed down from generation to generation until it became my mother's… then she gave it to me. Now, it's yours."

"I can't take that Violet. It's a family heirloom."

"I insist that you take it… it would really mean a lot to me. It'll help you get through the grief of losing your parents and it'll help you think of me even if I'm away."

"Alright… thank you, Violet. It's very beautiful."

"The purple stones symbolize Viola and her bloodline as well as hidden love while the blue stones symbolize your ancestor Zachiel's bloodline and the sadness of losing their people during the war. The red symbolizes the blood of our people and passionate love while the gold and silver symbolize power and purity. Mother told me that's what the colored stones and metals symbolize in our clan."

"Who was your mother?" Zexion inquired as they started back to their bedroom.

"Well, my mother's name was Frieda. She was very beautiful, with violet hair and eyes like mine. She always wore a knee-length, long-sleeved, lilac dress with a black head scarf and black high-heels. She also wore a pair of dangling earrings with red and violet stones, and these two rings on her right ring finger. She was an illusionist wizard like you and I but, she had Viola and my abilities. She married my father, whose name was David who had orange hair and red eyes, wore a purple and gold long-sleeved shirt with a green and blue cape with brown pants over black boots. He was a foresight wizard like Destiny and he had her ancestor Joy's and even her abilities…I miss them so much. I wish I could get them back. I know what happened to them though… they sacrificed their powers to Destiny and I and then they-." Violet bowed her head and started to shake, with Zexion putting a hand on her shoulder. She continued in a choked up voice, "… (sniff)…they got impaled by a poison blade… one at a time… (sniff) and fell off… the cliff…It's still so painful to think about. And the thing is… IT'S **ALL** MY FAULT. None of this would've happened if it wasn't for me."

All of a sudden, Violet burst into tears and Zexion was quite baffled by this. He put his arms around her and carried her bridal-style back to their room. Once she got to the bed, she threw herself into it without hesitation. Zexion then sat down beside her and put one hand on her back, rubbing it in a circular motion while the other ruffled her hair. Almost instantly, she jumped into his arms and clung to him for dear life, claiming she was frightened and worried about the final battle through her sobs. He hung onto her as well, feeling that it was his burden to protect her with all his strength. In her eyes, he saw her fear of seeing death repeat itself; he could see that she had seen the blood of her family being spilled over her and when she had to kill a creature, she hated the smell or sight of death and blood because it frightened her and it also made her remember what happened to her parents. (Zexion knew she was scared of seeing Destiny, him, or the others dying. He felt the same pain and anxiety and all he could do now was protect her from her never-ending foresight. It was now his burden to bear as her fiancé.) Zexion continued to comfort Violet until she fell asleep in his arms before he himself fell asleep.


	34. Chapter 34

** Chapter 34: Moonlight Love and Sacrifice- Raoul and Bridget**

Meanwhile in another room, Scarlett was secretly watching someone behind a wall that very same night when Saix snuck up behind her and kissed her neck.

"Saix!" Scarlett screamed.

"Hey beautiful… what are you doing here so late at night? You should really get your rest before the war."

"I'm watching over Bridget."

"Why?! Is there something you're **NOT** telling me?"

"You see that young man over there… across from Bridget?"

"What about him?"

"I have a theory that he likes her and I'm staying here to prove it."

"You know that if Delores finds out that Bridget is going out with an older man who is… how old is he?"

"Eighteen."

"Thank you, eighteen… her mother will have a cow."

"She won't find out because I won't tell her."

"I love it when you're being sneaky… let's go back to the love scene about to play out."

"Fine with me!"

Bridget was sharpening her lunar blades when the young man or Raoul came up to her. Bridget had never seen a man as handsome as him in a long time. He had shoulder length sky blue hair, vampire-like golden eyes, attractive facial features, ripped muscles that seemed to bulge out of his almost skin-tight shirt…. Just looking at Raoul made Bridget want to drool.

"Hello, Bridget." Raoul whispered.

"H-H-Hi, Raoul."

"I was wondering… if you'd like to go with me on a short walk before the final battle… it would probably calm our nerves."

"Just taking your shirt off would calm my nerves… I mean I'd love to go for a walk with you."

"Okay… let's get going."

"Right!"

Scarlett slapped her forehead and mumbled, "Smooth move, Bridget… but nice save."

As their walk started, Raoul learned more about Bridget than he could fathom. As they made their way around a corner, you could faintly hear their conversation.

"Yeah, I agree. But, I've been really down for a while because I lost my father, Liulferwhen I was a little girl. He died protecting my mom and I from an emblem heartless assassin attack… I always blamed myself because the heartless thought I was a clan princess or keyblade wielder so they targeted me and when my parents tried to stop them, the heartless tried to kill them."

"It wasn't your fault… the heartless killed your father, not you. To be honest right now, my parents were killed during a village raid when I was kidnapped by heartless. After they freed me, they told me to run and never turn back and I did as I was told."

"I'm so sorry, Raoul." Bridget tearfully choked.

"It's alright, please don't cry Bridget…I was able to train and I met up with other survivors so we could avenge our parents one day. It was a noble quest indeed… Bridget?"

"Yes, Raoul?"

"I wanted to actually take you on this walk to ask you something…"

"What do you want to ask me?"

Raoul knelt down on one knee and grabbed Bridget's hand gently. He looked up and explained, "Bridget, ever since the other warriors and I met you, we've all changed just like you. But, the first day of training I had with you… I have never seen a girl as beautiful as you in a long time. You are the most beautiful young girl I've ever seen in all my life, even if you are a half-human, half-Moonlight clan girl. So, I wanted to ask of you… Bridget, will you marry me? It would make me a happy man and I would never let the heartless hurt you just like they did when you were a girl. I will always protect you forever."

Bridget clutched her chest blissfully and then knelt down with Raoul saying, "Yes, I'll marry a noble warrior like you. Now I'll be honest right now… I've always loved you too since we first met. You are the most handsome man I've ever seen in my life." Raoul put the Moonlight clan wedding ring on her finger and picked her up bridal style, kissing her as they made their way to their tent.

Delores was knitting a few blankets for baby Hope when she spotted her daughter with Raoul. She smiled warmly and stopped knitting and went to the window near their campsite. She looked at the sky and closed her eyes whispering, " You knew what was best, right Liulfer? You just wanted to ensure our safety and happiness. I love you and miss you more than you'll ever know." She kissed her hand and pointed it to the sky, eyes still closed until she felt a presence grab her hand.

The figure resembled Liulfer and he kissed her hand then he spoke. "I love you too, Delores. I just wanted the heartless to leave you and Bridget alone but I never intended for me to die for you two. If I hadn't sacrificed myself, I would never forgive myself if you two died since you guys are my whole world. Until we meet again, I wish you guys luck."

Liulfer let go of Delores's hand and disappeared out of sight, leaving Delores frozen with mourning and fear. Rayna put a comforting hand on Delores's shoulder and led her back to the tents while Saim shut the window for the night.


	35. Chapter 35

** Chapter 35: Final Battle and Going Separate Ways**

****Many more days passed, until the attack came unplanned. Xemnas attacked during the early morning, when everyone was asleep. Torxi was the first to awaken.

"What is it, Torxi?" Axel inquired.

"I feel Xemnas's presence. We need everyone to wake up now!"

Axel and Torxi woke up everyone together and prepared for the final battle that was to come. All the people within the castle quickly woke up, grabbed their weapons, and started to attack. The Rose clan archers and long-distance range Wizards clan citizens attacked first while the sword fighters of Rose, Frost, Moon-light, and Aqua clan fought off the emblem heartless assassins. Next to attack were the Rose spear fighters and the Organization members. The healers, women, children, and wounded were moved to the back walls of the castle and were kept out of harm's attacked too recklessly towards Xemnas in a fit of rage but luckily, Crystal stopped a sword blow from Xemnas. Then Larxene and Torxi double-teamed using their running speed to quickly attack and evade Xemnas. Marluxia and Rosianna also double-teamed and used their vines to tie Xemnas down while Saix, Axel, Roxas, Scarlett, and Xion attacked from a distance. Xemnas couldn't take it anymore so he started to play dirty. He let loose a field of darkness around the feet of his enemies, in which they evaded before it hit them. They continued to fight him until Crystal became a target. He shot a beam at her and she didn't see it coming until it was inches away from her face. Demyx managed to push her out of the way but the blast came at him. He closed his eyes and put his weapon in front of him, prepared to take the hit. But when he opened his eyes, someone else had already been struck by the attack.

Zexion and Violet ran to the man as he collapsed.

Crystal screamed, 'DADDY! **NOOO!**"

Demyx couldn't believe what he had seen. (Vexen had taken a hit for his future son-in-law and had gotten seriously injured.)

Vexen choked out to Demyx before collapsing, "Protect my daughter and don't… let… Xemnas win this battle… or we'll all be destroyed. Good… luck my son-in-law…If I do die, I'll be sure… to thank your mother Diana for finding and protecting Crystal on my wife and I's behalf…(Groan)."

Rosianna ran Vexen to the nearest healer who worked tirelessly to heal the wound, with the help of Axel's healing tears and Torxi's light abilities. Now, the gang was filled with rage and a thirst for revenge. "You're gonna pay for that, Xemnas!" Zexion screamed.

"You tried to kill my father… **YOU WILL PAY YOU COLD-HEARTED MONSTER**!" Crystal proclaimed. Crystal surrounded herself in a pale-blue crystal and chanted an incantation angrily.

"…Crystal…no...DON'T!" Vexen whispered

. Crystal then shot beams of ice and water wildly around the room, destroying anything in her path. Many of the people involved in the battle had to dodge her raging attacks, while Demyx jumped in and tried to stop it.

"Demyx, what are you doing?! Don't be an idiot!" Larxene shouted.

"Take shelter now! This is serious, Demyx… just get under here."

"No Zexion! I'm not leaving her out there to be killed by Xemnas." Zexion clutched Demyx's arm.

"Let go of me, Zexion! She's in trouble and I'm the only one that can help her."

"You think you're gonna help her by getting yourself killed?! Just do as I say and she'll be fine."

"Let him go, Zexion!" Vexen shouted.

Torxi ran over to him and exclaimed, "Vexen, you're alright."

"Let him go, Zexion… he's the only one that can stop her."

"Vexen, thank goodness you're alive!" Torxi exclaimed.

"Yes I am, Torxi. But I gotta stop her from-ahhhh!"

"Don't overexert yourself. You'll make your injuries worse."

"You're gonna stop her from doing what?" Axel inquired.

"Her mother performed the same incantation and spell when we were attacked a year after we were married. I got hurt and she felt like unleashing all of her powers like that to keep me out of harm's way. I was able to heal myself and I stopped Sapphire before she got out of control… Demyx, if you don't stop Crystal before it's too late, Xemnas will kill her or she'll destroy the castle and all those inside it. We can't let a clan princess or guardian die on the battlefield or you'll never defeat Xemnas."

Demyx pulled his arm away from Zexion's grip and ran in front of Crystal, who looked angry and berserk. "Crystal!... you don't have to do this anymore. Your father's safe and he'll be healed. But I need you to come back to me. We all want you to come back to us… I may sound cheesy when I say this next thing but I fear that if I don't, I will never get to say it again… I love you."

Crystal's eyes widened and her face softened. She abruptly stopped the ice and water from destroying the castle and collapsed to the ground after the crystal shattered. Demyx caught her before her delicate body hit the stone floor below.

"Wake up, Crystal. Please Please Please wake up."

"Demyx, you don't have to get upset. I'm okay." Crystal whispered.

Demyx embraced her and whispered, "I'm sorry, Crystal… don't worry. I'm here now and your dad's safe."

"That's good to know."

Xemnas then butted in, "Aww, that's so sweet. But you know what… I hate this sweetness. None of you can defeat me now and if you try, you're walking right into my trap. So, what will the heroes do: Surrender to keep their people safe or fight so that they'll die along with them?... It's your choice."

Torxi cried "We'll never give up. Father Xemnas… if I should even call you that… we'll never stop trying to stop your plans to kill us and destroy the world we all know and love… You have done so many things to hurt us but this… (sniffle)… this is too much to bear. You have lied to us and manipulated us into believing that we'd be safe here in the Organization when honestly… (sniffle)… you wanted us all dead! You couldn't forgive our parents because they defeated you fairly years ago… so you tore them from us like darkness tearing apart light. You can't forgive us, so we won't forgive you! We are not your scapegoats for you to sacrifice nor are we your pawns so **TODAY… WE WILL FIGHT!**"

"Nice speech… but now it ends here for you all!"

The members scattered as he shot more darkness at them. Then, he pulled a sneaky move. He started to charge towards Rayna and her 3 week old baby girl Hope. Saix, Saim, Noel, Bridget and Scarlett stopped him before he could hurt the child. He did however manage to slice Rayna's arm with one of his poison blades, seriously injuring her. Saim and one of the Moonlight clan healers got to her just in time and began to heal her. While Xemnas pulled this sneaky move, he left himself wide open to an arrow wound from Rosianna and Clover's barrage attack. He winced in pain as the arrows kept coming, knocking him to the ground. Axel and Torxi attacked along with Scarlett and Saix. Next was Larxene, Marluxia, Crystal, and Demyx. Then Violet attacked with Zexion but… Zexion suddenly stopped.

"What are you waiting for, Zexion? Attack him!" Demyx yelled.

"I can't do it." Zexion whispered in a choked-up voice.

"Zexion, I know it's hard for you to do this, but you have to do what you have to do to avenge your parents and protect your friends and loved ones! My ancestor Veronica told me so and I remember from my vision that your ancestor Zachiel told you the same." Torxi screamed.

Zexion then remembered the night Zachiel and Viola as well as Demyx's parents Diana and William, Zexion's parents Aziza and Ziam, Violet's parents Frieda and David and Crystal's mother Sapphire had asked to speak to him and Violet along with Vexen, Crystal, Destiny and Demyx. Demyx's ancestor Harper, Crystal's ancestor Krista, and Destiny's ancestor Joy also spoke to them too.

"Why did you summon us?" Zexion asked nonchalantly.

" Viola and I summoned you to tell you what we saw in our visions."

The two wizards saw the visions along with Vexen, Crystal, Demyx, and Destiny. They were shocked to see Torxi get easily defeated by an emblem heartless assassin but knew she did it to protect Axel. Sapphire even apologized for sacrificing herself to save her family.

"I'm so sorry I did it Even and Crystal but, I just wanted you two safe."

"Mom, we forgive you and I understand the amount of responsibility you had making that decision and taking care of us. We will always keep you in our hearts and we will always love you."

"I never want you or your father to use the Power Crystal Sacrificial Spell for you or your family's sake although now that I mention it… there is a spell called the Light Crystal Strengthening Spell that won't use your power against you by killing you and making you age from the inside but that strengthens you and your comrades' powers while destroying all darkness within 30 miles of you. When I was alive, I wonder why I never learned this spell but I think that I was to die so you would learn of this spell."

"Ienzo, do be a dear and show us the Light Crystal Strengthening Spell in your lexicon."

"Yes, mother." Zexion looked up the spell with ease and handed the book to Crystal. The language was in Frost clan but Crystal and Vexen could read it.

Crystal read aloud, "The Light Crystal Strengthening Spell offers its user powers beyond their wisdom and experience without shortening the user's own life. Instead of aging the user from the inside and killing them as in the Power Crystal Sacrificial Spell, the Light Crystal Strengthening Spell boosts the user's own strength, causing their body to be untouched from aging or death as long as the crystal and its spell are activated. Unlike in the Power Crystal Sacrificial Spell, the crystal can be broken by darkness only… Mom, how come you never told us?"

"I never knew about this spell fully until after I died. I had only heard about it as a child but never fully understood it. If I had known about it my dear, I never would have died but that was my own mistake and one day, I hope I can make up for lost time. But for now, you must kill Master Xemnas… that scumbag who terrorized us for years. We gave him our services and trust and he plain old tricked us **ALL**! And to think we were his most trusted apprentices back in Radiant Garden."

Viola and Zachiel spoke up, "The others including us agree that you must kill him or else no one will be safe from his dark and deadly grasp. It will be hard for you and Torxi since he practically raised you both, but too ensure you and everyone else's safety as well as keep your promise to Torxi and the others, you must do this."

Zexion looked back at the battlefield seeing his friends in danger and realized that killing Xemnas would hurt him but would save his friends and loved ones. He attacked with all he had, knocking Xemnas to the ground for as much time as was needed to whisper something into Crystal's ear.

"Use the Light Crystal Strengthening Spell to save us. We'll cover for you."

Crystal activated the spell perfectly and instead of killing her like it did her mother, it strengthened her own power as well as her comrades. Xemnas awoke after Zexion's traumatic blast to witness Crystal's spell activated as everyone prepared to attack one last time. Rosianna drew her bow and arrow with all her flower strength, Torxi attacked with her magic with Violet and Zexion, Axel summoned his chakrams and strengthened them to full power, Larxene prepared to launch her blades. Marluxia charged his scythe, Roxas and Xion summoned their keyblades, Saix and Scarlett harnessed their lunar power to full strength, and finally Demyx charged up his water based sitar. Xemnas prepared for one last attack of ****darkness, a suicide attack to be exact. The two powers clashed and it seemed like darkness would win for once but, the Organization members pushed on and defeated Xemnas, killing him.

An almost dying Xemnas grunted under his breath, "This isn't over…(gasp)… it will never be over…(gasp)… I'll go after your children and your children's children next and then what will you do?!... They'll be left defenseless! (Gasp)…For now you're safe… But I will get you! I'll get You ALL!"

Almost immediately, he faded into darkness. With Xemnas gone, the members could rebuild their clans and their lives. It was time to part ways, but not without saying goodbye. With tearful confessions of love and friendship, our heroes left their life in the Organization behind to start fresh with their clan and their loved ones…

Many years have passed and they still live on, with children of their own and their clans finally restored to their former glory. The Moonlight clan gets along very well with the Rose clan now with Saix and Scarlett as the leaders of the nomadic Moonlight clan along with their children Chase and Selene while Princess Belladonna and Prince Logan became king and queen who ruled their two kingdoms with their son and daughter Rosalina and pine. (Belladonna and Logan rule with compassion and caring unlike their parents before them.) Larxene and Marluxia rule the Rose clan far away in the human world of Radiant Garden as well as raising their children Foudre and Eponine while Rosianna is the colonel of the Rose clan army alongside her husband and foster daughters, as well as her own biological daughters Leah and Dina. Torxi and Axel have finally started the family that they always wanted, including Roxas and Xion as an aunt and uncle to the kids, two twin girls named Ember and Breagha and a son named Aden. Zexion and Violet rule the Wizard clan with their twin daughters Ariel and Morgan and their son Joseph. They have even partnered with Vexen, Lexaeus, and Xaldin who help run the clan as well from the human world of Radiant Garden. Demyx and Crystal rule the combined Aqua and Frost clans as the Frost King and Snow Queen with their only child, the Ice Princess Snow Lily. Raoul and Bridget have started a family with their only daughter, Dawn and Wendy lives in peace in Radiant Garden alongside her long-lost father, Xaldin and her family. Katie and Nadine have even started families with Ricardo and Roberto by their side. Even Fortune-teller Destiny has reunited with her adopted children twin siblings Elijah and Sila, as well as marrying the man she fell in love with during her quest: Luxord. Although the experience will never be forgotten, they will still remain together as friends because of it. They still visit the memorials of their parents, in which they built after Xemnas's defeat, but have never forgotten their encounter with them. They know that they will see them again one day and in their visions and dreams, they encounter them for short times and will one day; give guidance to the next generation of clan princesses and guardians.

** The End!**


End file.
